163 acts pull out of the great escape event to protest Barclays’ arms trade links
In a significant act of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, over 160 musicians and artists boycotted The Great Escape music festival in Brighton this week over the event’s partnership with Barclays Bank, citing the financial institution’s links to companies supplying weapons used by Israel amid the escalating violence in Gaza.
The Bands Boycott Barclays campaign claimed that 163 acts, four showcases, and two venues withdrew from the annual festival showcasing new music talents. Their boycott aimed to pressure Barclays to divest from arms manufacturers fueling the deadly conflict.
Protests took place at the festival’s opening on Wednesday, with boycott organizers condemning Barclays’ business ties to companies involved in Israel’s military offensive that has killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including many children.
“We cannot in good conscience perform at an event sponsored by a bank that funds the weapons companies responsible for civilian deaths in Gaza,” said a spokesperson for the boycott campaign. “Our solidarity is with the Palestinian people suffering under Israel’s brutal occupation and oppression.”
Barclays has faced longstanding criticism from human rights groups over its investments in companies like Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin – major defense contractors that supply munitions and military equipment to the Israeli government.
While acknowledging the “profound human suffering” caused by the escalating violence, a Barclays spokesperson defended the bank’s position, stating: “We remain an institutional investor across various sectors, operating in compliance with all applicable laws.”
The boycott has drawn support from prominent Palestinian rights advocates and artists, who commended the musicians for taking a principled stand against what they view as corporate complicity in human rights abuses and war crimes committed by Israeli forces.
“This boycott sends a powerful message that artists and the creative community will not turn a blind eye to companies profiting from the subjugation and killing of the Palestinian people,” said Omar Barghouti, a co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
Artists United
Among the acts that pulled out were Lay Llamas, Black Josh, The Blessed Madonna, and Ross From Friends – artists who joined the call to boycott over Barclays’ unethical business practices.
“As musicians, we have a platform and a responsibility to speak out against injustice and oppression,” said Sarah Lipstate of the band Noveller, which also joined the boycott. “We cannot be complicit in whitewashing companies that profit from the massacre of innocent civilians.”
The festival boycott is part of a larger campaign by Palestinian rights groups to pressure corporations, universities, and cultural institutions to cut ties with companies and organizations linked to the Israeli government’s policies of occupation, settlement expansion, and military aggression against Palestinians.
The BDS movement, in particular, has gained significant traction in recent years, with artists, academics, and public figures around the world heeding the call to boycott Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.
However, the movement has faced strong pushback from Israel and its supporters, who accuse boycott organizers of unfairly singling out and delegitimizing the Jewish state. Pro-Israel groups have also lobbied for legislation in several countries, including the United States, to criminalize or penalize boycotts of Israel.
Despite the controversy, boycott organizers remain undeterred, vowing to escalate their campaigns until Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian territories and respects the human rights and self-determination of the Palestinian people.
“The tide is turning, and the world is waking up to the reality of Israel’s apartheid regime and its brutal suppression of Palestinian freedom,” said the Bands Boycott Barclays spokesperson. “Through peaceful boycotts and divestment campaigns, we will continue to pressure companies and institutions to end their complicity in these grave injustices.”
As the conflict in Gaza rages on, with mounting civilian casualties and widespread destruction, the artists’ boycott of The Great Escape festival has underscored the growing resolve within the creative community to take a stand against what they perceive as corporate enablers of Israeli aggression.
While the tangible impact of such boycotts remains to be seen, the festival’s partnership with Barclays has become a flashpoint in the larger debate over corporate ethics, human rights, and the role of the arts in political and social movements.
