A Radiohead star has been deplatformed after pro-Palestine activists claimed his gigs would “whitewash” an alleged Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Jonny Greenwood, lead guitarist of the British band, was scheduled to perform at two concerts in Britain alongside Dudu Tassa, an Israeli musician, next month.
But the gigs will no longer go ahead after anti-Israel activists demanded their cancellation because of the IDF military operation in Gaza.
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign, claimed that the performances would “whitewash” an alleged genocide in the Palestinian territory.
It said Greenwood had previously performed in Israel and that Tassa, a Jewish Israeli, had played a private gig for IDF soldiers in November 2023.
“Palestinians welcome the cancellation of both of their UK shows,” the campaign said. “We reiterate our call for all venues to refuse to programme this complicit event that can only art-wash genocide.”
The claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza is highly controversial and not an established fact. The number of Palestinian civilian casualties released by the Hamas-run health ministry, for instance, is strongly contested by the Israeli government.
Intimidation, not activism
Anti-Semitism campaigners said that the concert cancellations amounted to “racist conduct”.
Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, told The Telegraph: “The cancellations are probably in breach of contract and appear to contravene section 29 of the Equality Act by subjecting these musicians to detriment because of their association with Israelis.”
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) said the pro-Palestine activists were seeking to “punish anyone who dares to engage with” Israel.
“This isn’t activism, it’s intimidation,” the spokesman said. “More than four fifths (84 per cent) of British Jews agree that boycotts of Israeli artists, academics or businesses selling Israeli products constitute intimidation, according to our representative polling.
“Event organisers acquiescing to fanatics obsessed with Israel should bear in mind that tactics like these do nothing to bring peace to the Middle East.
“They only disrupt the lives of people in Britain. Venues must not capitulate to pressure campaigns seeking to bully those simply for standing with the world’s only Jewish state.”
Concerts cancelled
The concerts would have taken place at the Bristol Beacon on June 23 and Saint Church, an Anglican church in Hackney, east London, on June 25.
The Diocese of London, of which Saint Church is a part, said the concert there was cancelled by the promoter, Form, and that the church had no role in the decision. Form was also the promoter for the gig in Bristol.
“Saint were informed yesterday by the promoter that the event wouldn’t be going ahead and were instructed by the promoter to inform those who had bought tickets that they would receive a full refund,” a spokesman said.
Form, the Bristol Beacon and the representatives of Greenwood and Tassa were approached for comment.