A performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) at the BBC Proms in London was disrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
The recital on Friday evening was interrupted shortly after it began, forcing the orchestra to halt its performance for over 10 minutes. The performance subsequently resumed.
Jewish Artists for Palestine, identifying as a collective of “anti-Zionist Jewish writers, visual and performance artists,” has claimed responsibility for the disruption.
In a statement, the group stated the action was taken in protest against “Zionist funding, censorship and complicity in our cultural institutions” concerning the Gaza conflict, citing the MSO and the BBC specifically. The MSO has been contacted for comment.
The BBC issued an apology for the disruption, affirming that it was “swiftly” addressed by the Royal Albert Hall authorities.
Video footage circulated online by a pro-Palestinian group associated with the demonstration shows individuals in the Royal Albert Hall’s upper gallery holding black fabric banners displaying handwritten messages such as “complicit in genocide” and “Jewish Artists for Palestine.”
A voice, purportedly belonging to a female protester, can be heard shouting, “The MSO has blood on its hands.”
The interruption was captured on BBC Radio 3, which was broadcasting the performance live.
Broadcaster Ian Skelly provided a commentary on the unfolding events, noting the deployment of security personnel to remove the demonstrators.
BBC Radio 3 then temporarily suspended the live broadcast, switching to pre-recorded classical music selections for several minutes. During this period, Sam Jackson, controller of BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, made an announcement over the public address system.
Audience member Angela Tanner reported to the BBC that the removal of the protesters took a considerable amount of time.
“The entire programme had to be restarted and the order of pieces was altered after the piano was brought onto the stage and then removed,” she stated.
“There was considerable booing from the audience, and eventually, the organisers announced their thanks for our patience.”
Jewish Artists for Palestine stated that they targeted the MSO concert following the cancellation of a performance by acclaimed pianist Jayson Gillham last year.
Gillham’s performance in Sydney was cancelled in response to comments he made in support of Gazans. The MSO has since acknowledged that the cancellation was a mistake.
Shouts of “you silenced Jayson Gillham” and “the MSO is complicit in genocide” were heard, followed by booing from the audience.
Jewish Artists for Palestine also referenced the MSO’s funding and past performances by Khatia Buniatishvili, the principal artist featured on Friday night, with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Another audience member, who requested anonymity, stated that security personnel promptly removed two of the protest groups from the building, but the removal of the third group took longer.
She noted that a second round of shouting occurred after the performance resumed but was quickly suppressed.
“Overall, the atmosphere was strongly opposed to the protest, with many audience members expressing annoyance and shouting obscenities at the protesters in anger.”
In a statement, the BBC said: “We are sorry about the disruption to our coverage of the BBC Proms on Radio 3 tonight.
“There was a disturbance at tonight’s Prom which meant the concert was paused for a few minutes and the live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 diverted to pre-recorded music.
“The incident was dealt with swiftly by the Royal Albert Hall.
“Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of everyone who attends the BBC Proms, and we would like to thank our staff and the performers whose response helped keep disruption to a minimum.”
This is not the first instance of a BBC Proms performance being interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra had to halt its 2011 recital twice due to a disturbance by demonstrators.
In 2023, two protesters from the environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil disrupted the First Night of the Proms after targeting several other events.
The Israeli military initiated a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 251 individuals.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, over 63,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then.
The majority of Gaza’s population has experienced repeated displacement. It is estimated that over 90% of homes have been damaged or destroyed, and the healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems have collapsed. Furthermore, UN-backed global food security experts have confirmed the presence of famine in the Gaza City area.
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