London: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Disrupted by Pro-Palestinian Activists
- Posted on September 1, 2011 at 10:47pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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Protesters with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) disrupted the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s (IPO) BBC Proms concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall Thursday night.
Several demonstrators in the hall shouted as Zubin Mehta stood to conduct Bruch’s violin concerto, however, the rest of the audience booed in response.
While BBC Radio 3 said it had to interrupt its live broadcast twice “as a result of sustained audience disturbance,” some concert-goers claim the performance was interrupted up to seven different times.
Members of the pro-Palestinian group had allegedly been calling on people to boycott the concert and urged the BBC to cancel the performance.
In a statement published on its website, the activist group claimed IPO showed “complicity in whitewashing Israel’s persistent violations of international law and human rights.”
The BBC reports that outside the concert hall, roughly 20 PSC demonstrators waved banners and sang songs in protest against the philharmonic’s appearance. They were met, however, by several pro-Israel groups who staged their own protest in response.
Addressing the disruption, the BBC Proms Team took to Twitter, stating: “We’re sorry that the concert was taken off air following hall disturbance. Glad both pieces were heard by the audience in the RAH.”
It later added: “We regret that as a result of sustained audience disturbance tonight’s concert was taken off BBC Radio 3.”
BBC adds:
A spokeswoman for BBC Proms said it appeared each piece had been targeted by different protesters seated around the hall.
She said the broadcaster was “disappointed” the coverage had been taken off air but said the performance had continued in the hall.
About 30 people were removed by security but there were no arrests and no violence, she said.
The BBC’s Tom Symonds said: “As Zubin Mehta stood up and began each piece a small group of protesters each time tried to stop the music.
“They sang, they shouted, they were met by boos by the audience and they had to be removed by the security staff.”
One regular Proms-goer, Chris Keating, said there were actually six or seven disturbances during the performance.
“The first was in a quiet passage of the first piece,” he told the BBC.
“About a dozen protesters in the choir seats stood up with a banner saying Free Palestine and started chanting and singing to the tune of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy… They were drowned out by the orchestra as the passage of music got louder and were ushered out.”
A music reviewer who was at the performance, Igor Toronyi-Lalic, told the BBC “The whole hall was groaning and trying to slow clap them out.”
“It had the atmosphere of a riot.”
While the BBC claims that security for the concert had been increased as a precautionary measure, this was not the first time anti-Israel protesters have targeted classical music performances. According to the report, five members of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign disrupted a concert by the Jerusalem String Quartet at Edinburgh‘s Queen’s Hall back in 2008.
Police confirmed that while no arrests were made Thursday evening, there were heated exchanges not only among the activists but also angry concert-goers.
The BBC said it would broadcast part of the concert on 7 September.
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Comments (112)
Wake up and discern the truth
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:44amNo arrests? If I had paid for the show, I would have wanted arrests. Several protesters and a sign
Report Post »inside. Its probably better that they were not sitting next to me.
Stand with Israel!
CS_GUY
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 9:39amI’m with you………..wished I had been there and sitting close…….different outcome.
Report Post »Bluefish49
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:10pmIf I had bought tickets I would have been arrested because I would have grabbed the nearest protester and stuck my foot ankle deep in his A$$.
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 5:24pmBut you must show the Moslems that we mean them no harm. Don’t they have the right to destroy Western Civilization if they choose? England is a free nation. Yes?
Report Post »freedomofspeech
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:34amWhat was (is) their objective? Nothing better to do than be disruptive? guess there were no mob demonstrations at the local fast food joint scheduled?
Report Post »georgiavietvet
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:42pmtheir exact purpose was to disrupt the concert enough to have it taken off the air, and they succeeded. the ******* are gaining the upper hand and the world, through fear and political correctness, is allowing it to happen. we have got to stand up to these crazies or be over run.
Report Post »juddrusnak
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:11amThese Palestinians sub-culture wouldn’t know what an Orchestra is nor will they have the equivalent to the Israeli Philharmonic in a Thousand years.
Their culture is built on destroying anything which is good in the world, our society should send them back to the six century where they belong.
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:16amWhy so pessimistic? The orchestra is showing us how it is going to end.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 11:09amYour false anti-arab muslim genocidal narrative does not change the reality on the ground-a little blowback for the unjust european zionists oppressors is a good thing.Long live palestine and a rehabilitated 67 border israel[ though its' creation will forever be perceived as an unjust european zionist settler state by all ethical people ].
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 11:27amOh Rose… you say the funniest things.
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:13pmAs followers of the blood god called allah i‘m surprised they didn’t start slashing throats as human sacrifice like they have done in the past.
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:07amJudging from who got the last word at the concert–GOOD is doing pretty well here.
Report Post »Applehead
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 6:34pmEvery day 4-5 Israeli stories! America is in rough shape and 98% of Americans aren’t jewish! The reason I saw Jewish is that were not sure where the lost tribes are! I wish this site was more focused on America!
Report Post »stm62
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:02amBe glad when the current cycle of world insanity is over and good triumphs over evil, as it eventually will. But, how long is it going to take?
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 3:57am…and the Israel Philharmonic played every last note of a beautiful concert, and was abundantly applauded.
Stupid protesters, very smart orchestra.
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 3:52amWhy no arrests?
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 4:05amApparently they were removed and “ushered out” by the security staff. The orchestra is well aware of these possibilities, and knows how they want it to be handled. Very smart, if you ask me.
Report Post »Inbred Jed
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 7:50amHad it been someone doing anti Muslim chants, my bet is they would have been arrested.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 3:38amA few years ago the audience would have beat the crap out of them and threw them out. Twenty people in total disrupt hundreds and no one is arrested.The article claims that 5 people interruted another event.
Report Post »Only in wimpy England.
Callie369
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 3:10amWhat else do you expect from ignorant dog crap muslims? They should all be deported to Iran where they can live under sharia law and a dictator and with no freedoms. There is no such thing as a good muslim!
Report Post »Steve
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 2:01amISRAEL OCCUPIES ARAB PALESTINE. If Israel is actually “Occupied Palestine” then there is no legitimate Jewish state in the middle east
ISRAEL IS AN APARTHEID STATE. The term Apartheid refers to the segregation of groups on the basis of ethnicity or race, and the denial of basic civil rights to the segregated group. There is no such segregation in Israel
THE ARABS WANT PEACE AND A STATE ON THE WEST BANK. The Arab nations rejected peace and a state on the West Bank first in 1948 when it was offered to them by the U.N. and then in 2000 when it was offered by Presidents Clinton and Barak.
ISRAEL COMMITS WAR CRIMES BY KILLING CIVILIANS. the Israelis protect civilians at a rate 300 times greater than any other national army.
JEWS HAVE LITTLE HISTORICAL CONNECTION TO ISRAEL. Jews have lived continuously in the land of Israel for over 3000 years;
THE KORAN DESCRIBES JERUSALEM AS HOLY TO ISLAM. The Koran does not mention Jerusalem because Mohammed never set foot in the city
Report Post »Cheeseydog
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 2:20amWell said…thank you.
Report Post »Steve
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 2:27amhttp://www.wall-of-truth.org/myths/
Report Post »DR4SOUL
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 3:38amSteve, you have it exactly right! All your points are irrevocably, incontrovertibly and irrefutably true! The Palistinean Muslims have zero regard for either truth or history.
Report Post »db321
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 10:43amYou are So Very Wrong – God’s Real Estate Company gave Israel to the Jews in Numbers 34:1-12.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance-the land of Canaan to its boundaries. Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom; then your southern border shall extend eastward to the end of the Salt Sea; your border shall turn from the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and be on the south of Kadesh Barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar Addar, and continue to Azmon; the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the Sea. As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea for a border; this shall be your western border. And this shall be your northern border: From the Great Sea you shall mark out your border line to Mount Hor; from Mount Hor you shall mark out your border to the entrance of Hamath; then the direction of the border shall be toward Zedad; the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and it shall end at Hazar Enan. This shall be your northern border. You shall mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; the border shall go down and reach to the eastern side of the Sea of Chinnereth; the border shall go down along the Jordan.
God Protects the Jewish
Report Post »bioengineer
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 10:51amActually, you’ve got a lot wrong. While these are the arguments given, what is the actual situation on the ground. As someone who’s been there, this is what I’ve seen.
1) Israel absolutely occupies Palestine. The State of Israel didn’t exist pre-1948 at all. Palestinians who lived there were forcibly removed. Modern Israel didn’t exist pre-1967. And even with post-1967 borders, Israeli military still occupies Gaza, West Bank, and parts of Syria, and south Lebanon, and regularly crosses the border and makes trips into every single bordering nation.
2) Israel tightly controls resources moving in and out of West Bank and Gaza, and by this I’m talking about basic things like water and electricity. Even in the West Bank people will go days without washing clothes or bathing because they flat out don’t have enough water. Growing food is near impossible. Even inside Israel proper, ie East Jerusalem (and other parts), Arab Muslims are not treated on equal footing with the Jews. It is often said that Arabs in Israel have more rights than anywhere else in the world – poppycock. Israel is a socialist country, and its economy is tightly controlled from the top down. Arabs are not allowed same opportunities that the Jews are, period.
Report Post »bioengineer
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 10:57amLet’s see, what else.
3) The Arabs have repeatedly tried to have peace. Israel tightly controls resources that go in/out of Gaza and the West Bank, and by that I’m talking about basic resources like water and electricity. In the West Bank they have so little water that people go days wearing the same clothes and not bathing, because they flat out don’t have the water. They are not able to grow enough food to feed themselves, again, because they aren’t allowed enough water. And then what else, oh yeah, the settlements. This is perhaps the biggest issue that prevents peace in the West Bank. Regularly the Israeli military rolls in with their tanks and guns and literally pushes a whole community of Arab palestinians out of the way so they can build a little subdivision for Jewish settlers. Would you make peace if that sort of nonsense was going on? LoL. And then of course there are additional issues, like Israel not allowing Palestinians in the West Bank to leave, they can’t travel over to Jordan or cross into East Jerusalem. They are in a land-locked ghetto.
And this behavior isn’t limited to the West Bank. One of the big disputes with Lebanon is also over water. By military force Israel stole water resources away from the Lebanese. Israel uses the water while farmers in south Lebanon starve.
Report Post »bioengineer
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 11:13amOh what else.
4) I’m not even going to go into civilians that get killed. In many cases, yes, civilians get killed collaterally in response to an attack. But the definition of an attack is rather loose. Sometimes an attack is Palestinians resisting displacement to make way for another jewish settlement in the West Bank.
5) Jews do have a hisorical connection, no disagreement there. But their historical connection is not any more so than Christians or the Muslims. As far as blood is concerned Arabs have a much closer connection than European jews. This argument really is neither here nor there. If this is a valid argument then anybody who supports Israel should also support giving North America back to the Native Americans.
6) The mistake you make with The Quran is that you don’t actually understand Islam. You assume it all starts with Muhammed, but it doesn’t. Islam regards Abraham, Moses, Adam, David, etc., all to be prophets. Much in the same way that Mormons do through the Book of Mormon. While events in the BOM took place mostly in the Americas, and in modern-day Arabia for the Muslims, earlier history is still regarded as important. And the Quran does specifically mention Muhammed visiting a “far away” mosque, which is considered the one in Jerusalem.
Perfectly fine to not “believe” in Islam, but don’t be so arrogant. Who are you to say what Muslims do or don‘t believe and what is or isn’t holy to them?
Report Post »Steve
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:29pmOOOO Bioengineer. Your not paying attention.
The border crossing as posted here a few weeks ago show, Plasma TVs, Mercedes Benz’s, washing machines, dryers, Ipods, computers, and all sorts of commerce crossing the border. Your weak argument holds no weight compared to the truth. And the truth is whats important here. Not what rose-ellen or what you say.As to the so called trips across the border into Lebanon. That’s a lie. So please stop lying! and if you are getting this from a news outlet then they are lying.
Your ignorance on the matter or utter stupidity of the subject your choice is astounding. you say
Palestinians who lived there were forcibly removed. ” There is no such segregation in Israel. Arabs are granted full civil rights under Israeli law, which forbids discrimination on the basis of race, creed, or sex. Arabs take part fully in Israeli society and government. Arab citizens of Israel vote in national elections, have representatives in the Israeli Parliament, sit on the Israeli courts and on the Israeli Supreme Court benches, and serve as tenured professors teaching in Israeli colleges and universities. The Arab citizens of Israel have more rights, and enjoy more freedom, education, and economic opportunity than the Arabs of any Arab state”
Stop your BS lies. You look stupid
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:51amThis is why there was the tower of babel. Languages were mixed and people separated each to his own country. These people need to go home and let the europeans play music. This global crap is not going to work. People that want to take over other countries need to stay in their own country and learn to work a job and take care of their own.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:46amThese Jews just cannot catch a break! Doesn’t matter where they go, they get harrassed. Are people that jealous nad hateful of the Jews who in our lifetime have accomplished so much on behalf of all mankind. Look up their achievements people….we owe the Jew and their nation a debt of gratitude for the scholars they have produced.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 11:06am“….we owe the Jew and their nation a debt of gratitude for the scholars they have produced.”
Yes, we do.
But it does not follow from that, that we owe them a state with carte blanche indefinitely to occupy territories inhabited by people who are not Jewish and do not wish to live under Jewish rule.
The Jewish scientists, scholars, and thinkers to whom we owe so much were almost entirely Diaspora Jews, not inhabitants of the modern State of Israel.
Report Post »Miami
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:44amThese worms are so full of hate it hurts them to see anyone at peace…
Report Post »staxmarshall
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:38amI have an idea. Let’s go disrupt muslim concerts…. Oh wait, muslims don’t have symphonies or concerts, or any form of artistic expression. Anti-israel miscreants behaving like pigs. Yay to Israel.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:19amObama has operatives everywhere.
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:53amI stand with Israel.
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:12amI am Israeli!
Report Post »Jonny Quest
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 2:26amAs do I!
Report Post »Vechorik
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 10:20am..as do I.
Report Post »Tell your political candidate to SET ISRAEL FREE to defend itself as it sees fit!
Israel should no longer be a puppet of Congress!
ProbIemSoIver
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:30pm@Vechoric
RON PAUL would let Israel off the leash, to take care of business, and finally defend themselves.
America and Israel needs to tell the U.N. to kick rocks !!!!
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:49amWhy no arrests? They should be fined and ordered to pay restitution to the facility and patrons! They should also be sent to sensitivity training.
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:15amWe’re only supposed to be sensitive to their point of view and no other.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:47amobama has brought out the very worst in all of these evil people from coast to coast and all around the world.
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 5:58amNO, that would be something the ANTI-CHRIST only could do, bring out the evil in people all over the globe…surely you don’t mean…..that…..
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:14amAll I can say is, if Arafat can make up a fake Palestine State, then I can make up a fake State. Hmm, I think that I will name it Diana in honor of the late princess of the same name. Furthermore, I claim the entire southern part of what is known as California. I insist that anyone who can not speak American English be removed from the State of Diana, henceforth. Secondarily, only English speaking, and those who are Christians will be allowed in the State of Diana.
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:43pmThe anti-Israel people act like pigs!
Report Post »neverending
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:45amYes and even worse!
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:02amThat was a insult to pigs!!! PIGs and HOGS act better!!!
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:28pmPalestinians are both Jewish and Arab, so if your are “Pro-Palestinian” then you are Pro-Isreal since Zion was renamed Palestine.
So are they Pro-Arab Palestinians? They should get their stories straight, but then that would require them to also get their history straight, but if they do that, they’ll find the Jews were in Zion—>Palestine—>Isreal long before the Arabs, so oooopssss… EPIC FAIL on this whole “occupied land” nonsense.
These activists, are selfish, childish and pathetic.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:48pmHmm…these protesters should be taught a real lesson. Instead of disrupting a syphony and having to endure the disapproving glares of uppercrust society members, they should be shipped to the US and forced to protest in the middle of the audience at a Toby Keith concert….I’m sure they will see the error of their ways, just about the time the first boot is inserted up the sphincter.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:03amThey must be unionized. They should have been taken out and summarily hanged.
Report Post »Im2Big2Fail
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:04amLOL! Yeah Toby in Texas (but not Austin, they might actually cheer the protesters), but in my neck of the woods that pig won’t fly brother! There would have been arrests, and ambulances, and a barbecue.
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:26pm“Patrons booed the protesters, but they continued to interrupt the concert nearly seven times.”
So… 6 times…
Report Post »stumblemouth
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:18pmThe protestors saw the musicians as soft targets. If some Uzis or Galils were stashed in the instrument cases, the “activists” wouldn’t be so active. As Jews are targeted just about everywhere in this benighted world, a few well-oiled and loaded weapons should be handy at all times.
Report Post »RobertoJiron
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:25pmI don’t know why I agree with your analysis of the problem at hand. We are ready tea partier haters.
Report Post »rockstone
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 12:07amYeah! You go……..!
That’ll really help things. Whoa! Did you see the third chair oboe’s grouping?
Mmmmmmmmmm…. maybe not. You might want to re-think things a bit there Ringo.
Report Post »grabyrgun
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:14pmdisgraceful. no. typical of 7th century throwback retards.
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on September 1, 2011 at 11:05pmI happened to stumble across this story when I went to check on the planned EDL march, in Tower hamlets this Saturday. English Defense League are Patriotic Brits that are having a serious problem with shariah law in the U.K.
Report Post »The EDL, like the TEA PARTY patriots, are being portrayed as “radical right-wingers“ and ”racists”.
Their march has been banned by parliament, but they say they are going to march, regardless.
I am curious to see the outcome.
Miami
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:46amWhat’s crazy they let the Islamist do as they please
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on September 2, 2011 at 1:52amIsn’t it funny! What we once took for granted…the very simple idea of freedom, liberty and hardwork is now evil, racist and hateful.
I am afraid there just are not enough people pulling for freedom any longer and most have given up the fight or simply just don’t have a clue to what they are losing and have mostly lost already. Western civilization has gone to the dogs. Once Whites figure this out it may be too late because their backs will already be against the wall, but then, they will realize that they have become the slaves and now the ruled will suffer under their new masters. I always wondered what it would look like if the socalled White racists lost power to the ones they are trying to help give a hand up….how they then would be treated. I am seeing it live everyday and its gonna get worse.
Report Post »