‘Deeply disturbing’ that minister went to festival
HIP-HOP trio Kneecap said it was a ‘no brainer’ to boycott a US festival over Gaza, which Media Minister Catherine Martin attended yesterday in spite of a wave of opposition.
Irish artists including Soda Blonde and Mick Flannery also withdrew from South by Southwest (SXSW) due to the US Army’s sponsorship of the festival, citing US support for Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip.
An Enterprise Ireland-led delegation is taking part in the arts festival, which is being held in Austin, Texas, this week.
Culture Minister Catherine Martin attended yesterday, despite the boycott by Irish musicians.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said it is ‘deeply disturbing’ that the minister was attending the festival, while People Before Profit TD Paul
Murphy said it is ‘nothing short of shameful’. Ms Martin has said she respects musicians’ freedom of expression and will use the visit ‘to make clear her revulsion at the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza’. Kneecap member Mo Chara said the Belfast band’s decision to boycott the event was made after it emerged the US Army is a ‘super’ sponsor and that talks by companies which manufacture weapons are among the festival events. Respect: Minister Catherine Martin
‘I think it was a no brainer once the information started coming to light, and we just made the decision, because it’s good to be on the right side of history as Irish people,’ he said on RTÉ Radio.
‘I was very, very proud to see a lot of bands follow suit and that the Irish people will always be in solidarity with the Palestinian people.’
He said the financial hit they will take for not being paid for the performance, as well as the loss of the cost of flights and accommodation in Texas, is ‘a minor hiccup in our careers in comparison to what’s happening in Gaza’.
‘All we did was pull out of a gig.’