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| Young Fathers disinvited and then reinvited by German arts festival | Young Fathers disinvited and then reinvited by German arts festival |
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| A leading German music and arts festival has been thrown into disarray after its organisers disinvited – and then reinvited – the Scottish band Young Fathers over their support for the pro-Palestine Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. | A leading German music and arts festival has been thrown into disarray after its organisers disinvited – and then reinvited – the Scottish band Young Fathers over their support for the pro-Palestine Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. |
| The artistic director of the Ruhrtriennale announced earlier this month that the British hip-hop trio would be dropped from the lineup of the festival, which takes place from 18 August to 30 September. | The artistic director of the Ruhrtriennale announced earlier this month that the British hip-hop trio would be dropped from the lineup of the festival, which takes place from 18 August to 30 September. |
| In a statement, Stefanie Carp said although she did not believe that criticising the politics of the Israeli government was antisemitic, the Mercury prize-winning group had “regrettably failed to distance itself from BDS”. | In a statement, Stefanie Carp said although she did not believe that criticising the politics of the Israeli government was antisemitic, the Mercury prize-winning group had “regrettably failed to distance itself from BDS”. |
| But on Thursday, the festival organisers made a 180-degree turn. Not only did they reinvite Young Fathers, but also encouraged them to explain their position on the stage. | But on Thursday, the festival organisers made a 180-degree turn. Not only did they reinvite Young Fathers, but also encouraged them to explain their position on the stage. |
| “As a German, it is of course difficult for me to be linked to a movement that boycotts Israel,” Carp said. “But I have invited the Young Fathers and not the BDS.” | “As a German, it is of course difficult for me to be linked to a movement that boycotts Israel,” Carp said. “But I have invited the Young Fathers and not the BDS.” |
| Ruhrtriennale festival wrong to expel Young Fathers over support for Palestinian rights | Letters | |
| A spokesperson for Ruhrtriennale told the Guardian that Young Fathers had informed them that they could not take up the reinvitation. | A spokesperson for Ruhrtriennale told the Guardian that Young Fathers had informed them that they could not take up the reinvitation. |
| Some artists who had initially withdrawn from the Ruhrtriennale in solidarity with the Scottish group, including Lebanese guitarist Sharif Sehnaoui, said they had accepted their places in the festival programme. Ruhrtriennale organisers said the rest of the events would go ahead as scheduled, with the addition of a panel debate on the reasons behind the fallout. | Some artists who had initially withdrawn from the Ruhrtriennale in solidarity with the Scottish group, including Lebanese guitarist Sharif Sehnaoui, said they had accepted their places in the festival programme. Ruhrtriennale organisers said the rest of the events would go ahead as scheduled, with the addition of a panel debate on the reasons behind the fallout. |
| Nonetheless, Carp’s U-turn was criticised in Germany by local Jewish organisations and Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, the culture minister for the state of North-Rhine Westphalia. | Nonetheless, Carp’s U-turn was criticised in Germany by local Jewish organisations and Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, the culture minister for the state of North-Rhine Westphalia. |
| “It cannot be excluded that this decision will give the BDS campaign a platform at the Ruhrtriennale,” said Pfeiffer-Poensgen. “At times of increasing antisemitic crimes and other incidents, sadly also in North-Rhine Westphalia, this is the wrong signal.” | “It cannot be excluded that this decision will give the BDS campaign a platform at the Ruhrtriennale,” said Pfeiffer-Poensgen. “At times of increasing antisemitic crimes and other incidents, sadly also in North-Rhine Westphalia, this is the wrong signal.” |
| Over the course of the last 10 months, mayors of German cities including Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt have likened BDS’s call for boycotts against Israel to practices from the Nazi era. There have been calls for a ban on the use of public spaces for BDS activities. | Over the course of the last 10 months, mayors of German cities including Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt have likened BDS’s call for boycotts against Israel to practices from the Nazi era. There have been calls for a ban on the use of public spaces for BDS activities. |
| In a letter to the Guardian, 75 artists and cultural figures criticised what they believed were “attempts to impose political conditions on artists supporting Palestinian human rights”, describing the initial decision to drop Young Fathers as “censorship, ‘blacklisting’ and repression”. | In a letter to the Guardian, 75 artists and cultural figures criticised what they believed were “attempts to impose political conditions on artists supporting Palestinian human rights”, describing the initial decision to drop Young Fathers as “censorship, ‘blacklisting’ and repression”. |
| Signatories of the letter include Patti Smith, who performed at the Ruhrtriennale in 2005, and Massive Attack, who played the festival in 2013. | Signatories of the letter include Patti Smith, who performed at the Ruhrtriennale in 2005, and Massive Attack, who played the festival in 2013. |
| The Young Fathers performance is the latest in a series of concerts recently cancelled in Germany in connection to artists’ support for the BDS movement. In 2017, Young Fathers were one of a number of bands who pulled out of Berlin’s Pop-Kultur festival after it had emerged that the Israeli embassy had donated €500 (£440) to help to cover the travel costs of performers coming from Israel. The Israeli embassy was listed as a partner on event posters. | The Young Fathers performance is the latest in a series of concerts recently cancelled in Germany in connection to artists’ support for the BDS movement. In 2017, Young Fathers were one of a number of bands who pulled out of Berlin’s Pop-Kultur festival after it had emerged that the Israeli embassy had donated €500 (£440) to help to cover the travel costs of performers coming from Israel. The Israeli embassy was listed as a partner on event posters. |
| British musician Richard Dawson, as well as UK-based acts Shopping and Gwenno, have withdrawn from the lineup for this year’s Pop-Kultur festival, with the former citing the shooting of Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli border forces as a reason for cancelling his appearance. | British musician Richard Dawson, as well as UK-based acts Shopping and Gwenno, have withdrawn from the lineup for this year’s Pop-Kultur festival, with the former citing the shooting of Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli border forces as a reason for cancelling his appearance. |
| Last September, English performance poet Kate Tempest cancelled a concert at Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre after what her management said were “personal threats via email and over social media” over her support for the BDS movement. | Last September, English performance poet Kate Tempest cancelled a concert at Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre after what her management said were “personal threats via email and over social media” over her support for the BDS movement. |
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