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THE SCRATCH HAS pulled out of Radar Festival in protest of Bob Vylan being dropped from the lineup.
The Dublin-based band said the move amounted to censorship, and was an attempt to deplatform those speaking out about the genocide in Gaza.
The Manchester festival’s decision comes as police are investigating a member of Bob Vylan, who led crowds in chants of “death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)” at Glastonbury festival last weekend.
Radar has since updated its website, changing the Saturday slot to “Headliner TBA” (to be announced).
In response, Bob Vylan shared the festival’s statement on their Instagram story, adding the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester we will be back.”
Now The Scratch has said they are dropping out of Radar Festival to show solidarity with Bob Vylan, and artists who face “similar treatment”.
They said in a statement posted to Instagram that they don’t criticise the indie festival’s organisers, describing it as an “incredibly difficult and complex situation”.
“Shadowy government influence and wealthy lobbying groups should not be allowed to dictate who is given a platform and what can be said on it.
“The situation will only worsen unless we, as artists, support one another and take action.”
The band added that they wanted to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appear before the International Court of Justice.
Radar Festival organiser Catherine Jackson-Smith told the Two Promoters One Pod podcast that it was given no choice but to axe Bob Vylan, amid pressure from the venue, its co-owners AMG and Live Nation, and local authorities. She said they were given an ultimatum: cancel the band’s appearance or risk losing the entire Saturday program.
“There was not an option for Bob Vylan to step on stage on Saturday; that became apparent at the beginning of the week,” Jackson-Smith explained. “If we continued with Bob Vylan as our headliner, we wouldn’t have the festival happening on Saturday.”
With reporting by the Press Association
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