The cultural boycott and the outraged artist

August 6th, 2010 • 1 comment Action, News
Tags: artists, BDS, boycott, cultural, mondoweiss

Our fellow BDS activist has a piece published on Mondoweiss:

The cultural boycott and the outraged artist

When you arrive in Israel as an internationally-renowned artist to give a concert or accept a cultural award, it is only natural that you not be spat at and knee-capped by Jews. I say this apropos of the odd comments made over the last couple of months by Margaret Atwood and Suzanne Vega regarding their crossing of the BDS picket line.

In Israel, it is no surprise that people will be polite to you: “Recently I was in Israel. The Israelis I met could not have been more welcoming” (Atwood). You might even meet with excellent Israeli human rights organizations: “I went to Israel, I played two concerts there. I also met with B’Tselem” (Vega). And the general public will discuss politics with you: “I’d been told ahead of time that Israelis would try to cover up the Shadow, but instead they talked about it non-stop” (Atwood). All that is encouraging – after all it is some ‘shadow’ to live under!

Read the rest at Mondoweiss.net…

Yet Another Rotten Picket: Glasgow 7pm Mon 26 July

July 24th, 2010 • Action, Events, News
Tags: boycott, cultural, glasgow, johnny rotten, O2, O2 ABC, public image limited, scottish psc

Grab the Lyrics! Oh no, John, no…. & When Johnny goes out to Palestine

Scottish PSC Glasgow will be picketing at the Johnny Rotten/Public Image Ltd gig at the O2 ABC, 300 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow on Monday 26 July 2010.

Doors open 7pm, so get there around 6.30pm to join the picket!

Download the press release here…

Get some ideas from Leeds PSC’s picket on Friday:

Spread the word to your Scottish friends!

Cultural BDS: Leftfield Cancel Israel Tour

July 23rd, 2010 • Action, Events, News
Tags: artist, BDS, boycott, Carlos Santana, cultural, Diana Krall, elvis costello, gig, Gil Scott-Heron, israel, Jethro Tull, LCD Soundsystem, Ozzy Osborne, show, The Gorillaz, The Klaxons, The Pixies

Following pressure from fans and BDS campaigners (FB) Leftfield have cancelled their planned gig in Israel citing:

Cancellation of Israel show
Unfortunately Leftfield will not be able to perform at the Heineken Music Conference, Israel on the 31st August due to unforeseen production problems.
– Leftfield Blog

This adds to the growing list of artists who have made similar decisions, including: Gil Scott-Heron, Elvis Costello, The Pixies, The Gorillaz, Carlos Santana and The Klaxons.

In addition to the Johnny Rotten protests occurring around the UK, a number of Facebook pages have been setup to pressure other artists:

• Diana Krall – please don’t break the Palestinian call to Boycott Israel

• Ozzy Osbourne : Please don’t play apartheid Israel

• Jethro Tull : Respect the Palestinian Call to Boycott Apartheid

• LCD Soundsystem: Please don’t play for Apartheid Israel

• Johnny Rotten you ain’t no human being if u play the Israeli fascist regime

We are working on a calendar to highlight UK gigs and events where artists who plan to visit Israel will be performing: bds.readingpsc.org.uk/calendar

Johnny Rotten Protest by Leeds PSC – 7pm 23 July

July 22nd, 2010 • Action, Events, News
Tags: BBC Radio Leeds, boycott, cultural, elvis costello, israel, johnny rotten, leed, O2 Academy, PSC, sex pistols

UPDATE! BBC Radio Leeds interview:

Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon/Rotten and his group Public Image Limited will be the focus of a protest by Leeds PSC tomorrow.

This comes ahead of his planned concert in Tel Aviv and comments in The Independent about objections to the Israeli leg of his tour:

I really resent the presumption that I’m going there to play to right-wing Nazi jews, if Elvis-f*cking-Costello wants to pull out of a gig in Israel because he’s suddenly got this compassion for Palestinians, then good on him.

But I have absolutely one rule, right?

Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won’t understand how anyone can have a problem with how they’re treated.

Reaction to those comments: John Lydon’s rotten politics & ‘Rise’ against Racism

Events in Leeds on Friday July 23:

• Andy Brown from Leeds PSC will be interviewed live on BBC Radio Leeds at 7am:

• Protesters will gather from 7pm in front of the venue: O2 Academy, 55 Cookridge Street, Leeds

Leeds PSC group have also taken out a half page in Yorkshire Evening Post and on the Guardian Leeds site: Lydon/Rotten: Palestine protesters set to demonstrate at Leeds gig Friday 23 July

Check out the Cultural Boycott page at Leeds PSC & Johnny Rotten you ain’t no human being if u play the Israeli fascist regime on Facebook.