The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest announced on Thursday that they reserve the right to remove any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols from the exhibition next week in Sweden.

This announcement comes amid rising tensions surrounding Israel's participation in the annual music competition over its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which has now entered its seventh month. Pro-Palestinian groups are expected to hold large protests in Malmö to raise awareness of their cause.

Michelle Riveley, the head of communications at the European Broadcasting Union that runs the show every year, stated that ticket buyers are only allowed to bring and display flags representing countries participating in the event, in addition to the rainbow-colored flag.

In a text message to the Associated Press, she said that the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union reserves the right to "remove any flags, symbols, clothing, objects, or other signs used for a potential purpose of exploiting television programming."

Swedish news agency TT reported that anyone attempting to bring a Palestinian flag or a sign bearing a political message will be stopped at the entrance by security guards.

Martin Österdahl, the executive supervisor of the contest, told TT that "these rules are the same as they were last year. There is no change."

National flags are a common sight during the contest as fans cheer for their country's entries and those who support them.

This grand event, which attracts hundreds of millions of viewers each year, will be held from May 7 to 11 in Malmö, southern Sweden, and last year saw Loreen win for her performance of the song "Tattoo".

Winners earn the right for their country to host the following year's event: Sweden is set to host for the seventh time, tying the record.

The Swedish police warned of tightened security measures, citing the threat of terrorism in the wealthy northern state.

Pro-Palestinian activists who want to remove Israel – a previous winner – from the Eurovision Song Contest announced plans for large marches in downtown Malmö, several kilometers from the competition venue at Malmö Arena.

The Israeli National Security Council issued a warning on Thursday urging people to reconsider traveling to Malmö, stating it is a "center for anti-Israel protests" that include calls to attack Israelis and burn Israeli flags.

It added that "these developments raise significant concern that terrorists will exploit the protest and the anti-Israel atmosphere to carry out an attack on Israelis arriving for the Eurovision contest."

On Thursday, the Swedish police stated that they had granted permission to protesters who planned to burn a copy of the Quran in Malmö before the contest. Such gatherings are allowed in Sweden, and police must provide specific reasons, such as risks to public safety, if they wish to deny a permit for a demonstration or public gathering.

Last year, Sweden raised the general threat level after a series of Quran burnings sparked protests in the Muslim world.

In recent weeks, the spread of reactions worldwide to the ongoing war of nearly seven months between Israel and Hamas has fueled significant protests on American university campuses and beyond.