Paramount cancels 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards due to Israel-Gaza conflict

The organisers of the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards, Paramount Global, have cancelled the awards show, citing the conflict in Israel-Gaza.

The show, set to be held in Paris, will no longer go ahead due to the "volatility of world events".

France has been uneasy since the escalation of the Israel-Gaza conflict, following the stabbing of a schoolteacher in the town of Arras and the evacuation of several airports yesterday due to security threats.

A statement was given by a Paramount spokesperson. "Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans, and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life.

“The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music. As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning.

“We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024.”

Other events have also been postponed or cancelled in the wake of the violence, including Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival and the Tel Aviv Open.

Israel have been at war with Hamas — an armed Palestinian group based in the Gaza strip — after they launched a surprise assault in Southern Israel on October 7th, killing hundreds at a music festival and taking hostages. In response the IDF have bombarded the Gaza strip with continuing aerial and artillery strikes.

Thousands have died in the conflict, and concern mounts over the safety of civilians still in the area as it continues.