Massive Attack launches a “union” of artists speaking out on the Gaza conflict
The Bristol-based band, followed by some big names in music, called on Thursday, July 17, for the creation of a collective to defend artists' freedom of expression on the war in Gaza. In particular, it denounces the pressure exerted by certain pro-Israel groups on musicians who champion the Palestinian cause.
Massive Attack, Brian Eno, Fontaines DC, Kneecap, Garbage. Several prominent bands have announced the formation of a "union" to defend artists speaking out against the actions of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, July 17, in a post on the social network Instagram, the British band Massive Attack claimed that many musicians were the targets of smear campaigns and harassment by pro-Israeli groups.
“The images coming out of Gaza have been deeply shocking. We speak out as artists who have chosen to use the platform afforded to us to speak out against the genocide taking place there and the British government that is facilitating it ,” the statement reads at the beginning. “Because we have expressed our feelings, we have been subjected to a great deal of intimidation within the music industry and on the legal front.”
In a statement sent to The Guardian , the members of Massive Attack describe artists who are afraid to express their outrage because of the "censorship" at work in the music industry. They describe pressure groups that "terrify them and their managers with aggressive legal actions."
The UK Lawyer for Israel (UKLFI), which claims to "fight the movement to boycott and delegitimize Israel," has been particularly criticized. In late June, UKLFI reported the band Bob Vylan to the police after he led the audience at the Glastonbury Festival to chant "Death to the Israel Defense Forces," the official name of the Israeli military. It also criticized the BBC, which broadcast live footage of the concert.
Also in June, rapper Mo Chara, from the Northern Irish band Kneecap, was the subject of a UKLFI report. He is suspected of having raised the flag of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah during a concert in London in November 2024. He is now being prosecuted for glorifying terrorism. In both cases, the controversy was followed by a series of cancellations. “While these actions were made public, UKLFI is also suspected of having contacted other musicians, individuals and organizations with whom it is in contact, without making the information public,” adds The Guardian .
“More and more musicians are making gestures or statements of support for Palestine and against the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza. This includes bands considered relatively apolitical. In May, Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds waved the Palestinian flag at a concert by the band in Milan, Italy,” notes Middle East Eye .
