Show of palestinian writing is cancelled over safety concerns
A THEATRE has been forced to cancel a show that was to feature a celebration of Palestinian writing due to safety concerns.
The Voices of Resilience show was due to take place at HOME, in Manchester city centre, on April 22.
Originally set to feature the likes of Maxine Peake and Kingsley Ben-Adir, the show was billed as an evening of poetry and writing by Palestinians, both located in Manchester and in Gaza.
But the Manchester City of Literature show has now been cancelled by organisers due to ‘recent publicity around’ the event. In a statement on its website, the theatre said the safety of staff, audiences and artists was ‘paramount’.
The decision follows a letter sent to the venue and Manchester City of Literature earlier this week from the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester (JRC) regarding the event and asking it to be cancelled.
The event was due to feature work from writer Atef Abu Saif, who has served as Minister for Culture in the Palestine Authority since 2019. The JRC claimed the author had ‘engaged in shocking and antisemitic Holocaust denial’ and suggested his ‘views have no place in Manchester and risk increasing antisemitism against the Jewish community’.
Saif has yet to publicly respond to the allegations. In a statement announcing the cancellation of the event, HOME said: “HOME is a politically neutral space, committed to welcoming the full range of artist expression.
“Our concern for the team at HOME, our audiences and artists and their safety is paramount. In the face of recent publicity around Voices of Resilience, we have cancelled this event.”