Brian Eno, Ben UFO sign letter criticising Germany's Open Source Festival for cancelling rapper Talib Kweli over BDS support
- PublishedWed, Jul 3, 2019, 12:10
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- The Black Madonna—plus 100 other public figures from across politics and the arts—has also come out against the Düsseldorf event.
- Several electronic artists have signed a letter criticising Düsseldorf festival Open Source for cancelling a performance from US rapper Talib Kweli over his support of the pro-Palestine BDS movement. Brian Eno, Ben UFO, The Black Madonna and LCD Soundsystem's Gavin Rayna Russom are among dozens of public figures from across politics and the arts to sign the letter. On June 1st, Open Source posted a statement on Facebook confirming the cancellation of Kweli, who is a fierce supporter of BDS, AKA Boycott, Divestment And Sanctions. Speaking last month to German regional newspaper Rheinische Post, the festival's artistic director, Philipp Maiburg, described BDS as antisemitic. "I'd rather be a decent human being and stand up for what's right than censor myself and lie about BDS for a check," responded Kweli on Facebook. "Boycotting, Divesting and Sanctioning are peaceful solutions to the crisis that destroys Palestinian homes and lives... It worked to make South Africa a more fair and equal nation and it could work in Israel if its opponents were not so anti-black and anti-Muslim." "Antisemitism is real," Brian Eno told Artists For Palestine UK. "But the term is diluted into meaninglessness if it is applied to anybody who criticises Israeli policy." The letter, which you can read in full via The Guardian, currently has more than 100 signatures, including Peter Gabriel, actor Julie Christie, philosopher Judith Butler, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Pink Floyd cofounder Roger Waters. "I am in total support of this opposition to the racist pressure exacted on Talib Kweli," said Moore. "Maybe the festival should add to its name: Open Source/Closed Mind Festival." The one-day festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 13th at Galopprennbahn in Düsseldorf. This isn't the first time a party has been cancelled because of issues related to BDS and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In September, Berlin club ://about blank cancelled a Room 4 Resistance event due to "irreconcilable differences." A few months later, in January, Leipzig club Mjut pulled a performance by Jerusalem In My Heart. Read more about BDS and club culture in this in-depth feature.
- Sat, Jul 13, 2019
Open Source Festival 2019
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