Photo credit: www.bbc.com
Thom Yorke’s Concert Disrupted by Gaza Death Protest
During a recent solo performance in Australia, Thom Yorke, the lead singer of Radiohead, encountered a disruption when a concert-goer heckled him with calls to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza. This incident occurred at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.
Footage shared on social media from the concert depicted a man in the audience shouting at Yorke, insisting he condemn what he referred to as “the Israeli genocide of Gaza.” In response, Yorke challenged the heckler to take the stage and voice his concerns directly. He stated, “Don’t stand there like a coward, come here and say it. You want to piss on everybody’s night? Ok you do it, see you later,” before putting down his guitar and walking off.
This exchange escalated as the heckler intensified his calls, asking, “how many dead children will it take,” prompting mixed reactions from the crowd. While some attendees booed the interruption, Yorke returned shortly after to perform the well-known Radiohead song “Karma Police,” met with applause from the audience.
Concert-goer Elly Brus noted that the protester did not appear to have support from the majority of the attendees. She reported that security escorted him from the venue, although he continued to question concert-goers outside afterward.
The conflict in Gaza has escalated dramatically since Israel initiated a military campaign against Hamas following an unprecedented attack by the group on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This assault resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of 251 individuals. In the aftermath, Gaza has seen a reported death toll exceeding 43,160, including a significant number of women and children, as per figures from the Hamas-controlled health ministry.
Both Israeli and Palestinian forces have denied allegations of violations of international laws during the conflict. The situation has led to mounting pressure on public figures and artists, including Radiohead, to take a stand against Israel’s actions. Historically, Radiohead has faced calls to cancel performances in Israel due to its policies regarding Palestine. However, Yorke has defended his stance, asserting that merely performing in a country does not equate to endorsing its government. In a statement from 2017 regarding a planned concert in Tel Aviv, he remarked, “We’ve played in Israel for over 20 years through a succession of governments, some more liberal than others.” He further added, “We don’t endorse [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America. Music, art and academia is about crossing borders not building them.”
Additionally, earlier this year, Yorke’s bandmate Jonny Greenwood faced backlash from pro-Palestinian activists for performing with Israeli-Arab musician Dudu Tassa in Tel Aviv, leading to accusations of “artwashing.” In his defense, Greenwood stated, “No art is as ‘important’ as stopping all the death and suffering around us,” though he cautioned against silencing Israeli artists, asserting that such measures would not foster understanding between the conflicting sides.
The BBC has sought comments from representatives of Yorke’s Australian tour, while the Arts Centre Melbourne, which oversees the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, opted not to provide a statement regarding the incident.
Source
www.bbc.com