LONDON.- More than 100 artists announced their resignation from participating in a festival musical in Brighton (England) to support a boycott campaign against Barclays bank, sponsor of the event, accused of investing in companies that sell armas a Israel.
Almost a quarter of the bands and musicians scheduled for the Great Escape festival, which highlights the British independent scene, which began on May 15 and runs until Saturday in the coastal town in southern England, have joined in. the last days to a campaign called Bands Boycott Barclays (Music bands boycott Barclays.)
This campaign seeks to convince festivals to end their collaboration with the British bank, accused by these artists and activists of maintaining financial ties with companies that sell weapons to Israel.
An open letter urging festival organizers to break with Barclays, published in March, was signed by hundreds of associations, labels, music fans and artists, including big names who did not participate in the event, such as Massive Attack or Brian Eno.
126 groups or artists refuse to participate in the festival
“We refuse to allow music to be used to cover up human rights violations; we cannot allow our creative productions to become smoke screens behind which money is injected to murder Palestinians,” they denounced.
So far, 126 groups or artists have refused to perform at the festival, which has been held in Brighton since 2006, and the five opening concerts scheduled for Wednesday night had to be cancelled.
Questioned about arms sales last week during its general meeting in Glasgow, Barclays denied having invested in or holding shares in companies that supply weapons to Israel.
Alfie Templeman, one of the artists who canceled their participation, said on Instagram that he hopes this campaign will encourage festivals and events around the world to prioritize ethics when choosing their partners.
Barclays will sponsor several music festivals this year in the United Kingdom.
On October 7, Hamas commandos infiltrated from Gaza into southern Israel carried out an attack that killed more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians.
More than 250 people were kidnapped during the attack and 128 remain captive in Gaza, including 36 considered dead, according to the Israeli military.
In response to that attack, the Israeli army launched bombing raids, followed by a ground offensive, causing more than 35,000 deaths, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.
FUENTE: AFP
