Acts pull out of festival over Israel-Gaza conflict

Artists and venues have pulled out of The Great Escape festival

Boycott organisers have claimed 163 acts pulled out of a music festival over its partnership with Barclays Bank.

The Great Escape Festival, an annual event for new music held in Brighton, opened on Wednesday and finishes on Saturday.

A protest took place at the start of the festival over the bank's links to companies involved with Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

A Barclays spokesperson said they recognised the profound human suffering caused by the conflict.

A Bands Boycott Barclays spokesperson said 163 acts, four showcases and two venues had pulled out of the festival.

They said: "The most powerful thing we can do as musicians to send a collective message is withdraw our labour – history has shown us this is a tactic that works.

"Without the artists, there is no festival.”

The festival has not responded to requests for comment.

Singer Steven Bamidele, who pulled out, said the boycott was an "amazing statement" that shows people "won't sit by and watch things like this happen".

He said it was a hard decision and added: "I don’t judge any musician for playing."

Big Special, one of the acts still taking part, said it would donate its fee to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.

They said: “We support any band that is trying to do what they can to help no matter what it is."

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LGBTQ+ club and music venue Revenge pulled out and hosted a fundraiser in support of Medical Aid For Palestinians.

Manager Steve Jones said they had invested more than £10,000 in staffing, equipment and training for the festival.

He said: "We considered all our options. Hospitality is in a really difficult place as it is.

"For us it felt like the right thing to do to still open the doors for live music."

Protestors demonstrated on the opening day of the festival in Brighton

A Barclays spokesperson said questions about the bank investing in nine defence companies supplying Israel "mistook" what the bank does.

They said Barclays does not make its own investments, but provides financial services to businesses "including those in the defence sector".

They said: “Clients supply defence products to NATO and other allies including Ukraine and are an important contributor to our security in the UK.

"Decisions on arms embargoes are rightly the job of elected governments.”