MTV has cancelled its Europe Music Awards ceremony, due to be held next month, November 5 in Paris over the “devastating events” taking place in Israel and Gaza.
“As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration,” the company spokesperson said in a statement. “With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning.”
Celebrities like David Guetta, Jung Kook (of BTS) and Thirty Seconds to Mars were among the performers.
Organisers Paramount Global said they were acting 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.”
France has been on high alert since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza, and the killing of a teacher on Friday in France by a man claiming to act for the Islamic State extremist group.