Posts Tagged ‘concert’
BDS: Criticisms of Israel not anti-Semitic
August 6th, 2010 • 1 comment Action, Awareness, News
Tags: BDS, boycott, concert, johnny rotten, leeds, picket, protest, PSC
Letters published in the Yorkshire Evening Post in response to the Leeds PSC picket at Johnny Rotten’s concert:
IN response to Kevin Hartley’s letter (below), Palestine solidarity supporters do not demonise Israel – there is much that Israelis should be duly proud of. This does not mean there are not criticisms of Israel and that these are anti-Semitic.
The criticisms are that Israel violates international law and human rights as recognised by the UN – by continued expansion of its settlements in the Palestinian West Bank (as commented on by Barak Obama re: East Jerusalem), the blockade on Gaza (which even David Cameron described as a prison) and the system of check points, lack of freedom of movement and the apartheid wall that makes Palestinians’ lives and livelihoods acutely difficult in the West Bank and in Israel.
Many of the most active Palestine campaigners in the UK are Jewish and we are clear that it is the Israeli State (and not Jews) that we are critical of.
This anti-apartheid boycott campaign is the peaceful one, in which we can all take part, to collectively pressurise Israel to stop the above violations and to start a peace process with Palestine.
Whilst John Lydon may or may not boycott Israel, many other artists have (Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, Ian Banks etc).
For Mr Hartley’s information, I do campaign and support campaigns against injustice and poverty here and abroad and don’t just boycott Israeli goods. I also promote fairtrade and buy fairtrade products, including Zaytoun Palestinian olive oil. I believe we can use our consumer power by supporting and boycotting and hope others will consider doing the same.
– C MacDonald, Leeds (Published Date: 05 August 2010)
in response to:
Further to your report of July 22 regarding the Palestinian supporters’ campaign to boycott Israel and urge entertainers like rocker John Lydon not to perform, this is saddening.
Israel is not an “apartheid” state as was suggested; all of its citizens have equal rights under the law regardless of race or religion despite what these misguided campaigners say.
Israel’s situation is totally unique and her need for security is paramount.
The attempt by these campaigners to demonise Israel and portray it as malign is an obvious form of distasteful anti-semitism which we can do without.
I suggest these campaigners turn their attention and efforts to far more worthwhile causes, such as the real poverty and injustices that exist right here in the UK.
– Kevin Hartley, by email (Published Date: 28 July 2010)
Another Rotten Picket in Liverpool
July 23rd, 2010 • Action, Events, News
Tags: BDS, boycott, concert, friends of palestine, gig, johnny rotten, liverpool
From Liverpool Friends of Palestine:
Protest at O2 Academy on Saturday evening
Liverpool Friends of Palestine will be leafleting outside Liverpool’s O2 Academy on Saturday evening. Public Image Limited are playing there that evening. The band is headed by John Lydon, formerly and better known as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols.
The protest is held because the band’s tour culminates at the end of August with an appearance in Tel-Aviv (Israel’s capital city). This is in violation of the cultural and economic boycott which Friends of Palestine supports. The group say that PIL and other bands should not visit Israeli venues until there is justice for the Palestinians.
A growing number of artists have decided to observe and support the cultural boycott. Last month Friends of Palestine leafleted Elvis Costello’s Liverpool concert to thank him for cancelling his planned gig in Tel-Aviv. Other artists who have taken this stance include Gil Scott-Heron, The Pixies, Carlos Santana and the Klaxons.
The attitude of John Lydon has been quite unrepentant. There have been protests at earlier concerts on this tour, most recently in Bristol on 20 July.
Tom Bimpson, chairman of the Friends of Palestine group, said “There is something rotten in the state of Israel even before Johnny gets there. He should stay away and show some support for the Palestinians. If he thinks his ‘one-man army’ will bring about change in Palestine he is sadly mistaken”
A copy of the leaflet is here… (pdf)
end of release
Rotten Picket in Bristol
July 21st, 2010 • Action, Events, News
Tags: BDS, boycott, Bristol, bristol PSC, concert, gig, johnny rotten, PiL
Bristol PSC’s press release about their protest at Johnny Rotten’s Bristol gig:
Rotten Picket in Bristol
Palestine supporters maintained a vigorous picket throughout the evening outside the O2 Academy, in Bristol on Tuesday 20th July.
Chanting “Johnny Rotten, Johnny Rotten, Gaza must not be forgotten” they waved flags and placards.
They spoke to fans attending the gig and handed out fliers and cards.
Accompanying the picket were two eight-foot high stilt-walkers.
These were dressed as Johnny Rotten in his punk-rock era garb of union-jack jacket and spiked hair, plus a machine-gun armed Israeli Soldier.
Former Sex Pistols frontman, Johnny Rotten is currently embarking on a European Tour which culminates with a headline appearance in Tel Aviv at the end of August. Campaigners throughout the UK are appalled at his decision and are aiming to get their message across to fans urging them to appeal to Johnny to cancel his Israel date.
Several hundred fans attended the gig from all across the South West.
Some weren’t interested in talking to the protesters, and a few obviously misunderstood the issues.
