LONDON: Three comedians said on Tuesday they were pulling out of the UK’s Latitude Festival in protest against ties between the event’s main sponsor, Barclays, and Israel.
The withdrawals by Sophie Duker, Grace Campbell and Alexandra Haddow follow a similar decision last week by Irish singer-songwriter CMAT. Other musicians that have pulled out include Pillow Queens, Mui Zyu and Georgia Ruth, Sky News reported.
Acts such as Keane, Kasabian and London Grammar are still scheduled to perform at the event in the English county of Suffolk from July 25 to 28.
Barclays has been accused by the protest group Palestine Action of having financial interests in Israel’s weapons trade and fossil fuel industry. Members of the group this week splashed red paint on 20 of the bank’s branches across England and Scotland.
Comedian Duker posted a short video on social media in which she confirmed she would no longer be performing at the festival, despite her experience there being “magical in the past,” because she said Barclays was “profiting from the production of weaponry” used by Israeli forces in Gaza.
“I am committed to minimizing my complicity in what I consider to be a pattern of abhorrent, unlawful violence,” she said, adding that her stance had attracted “violent abuse, targeted pile-ons and death threats.”
Haddow shared a similar message on Instagram in which she said she could not “in good conscience take the fee” for performing at the event and that boycotting it was “one of the only things I can actively do.”
Barclays said it recognizes “the profound human suffering” caused by the war in Gaza but added: “We provide vital financial services to US, UK and European public companies that supply defense products to NATO and its allies.
“Barclays does not directly invest in these companies. The defense sector is fundamental to our national security, and the UK government has been clear that supporting defense companies is compatible with ESG (environmental, social and governance) considerations.
“Decisions on the implementation of arms embargoes to other nations are the job of respective elected governments.”
