The controversy surrounding the annual South by Southwest festival, affectionately known as SXSW, has centered on more than 100 parties over the U.S. Army and defense contractor’s sponsorship of the music and cultural event in Austin, Texas. The situation has intensified following the departure of artists (mostly European).
As of Wednesday, five music labels and 105 bands and individual musicians had taken part in a protest against the Pentagon’s support for the Israeli war, including more than 60 British artists and all 12 Irish bands originally scheduled to perform. We have chosen to cancel the day-long festival. In Gaza.
According to the Austin Coalition for Palestine (AFPC), the organization leading the boycott, more than 10 artists have decided to remain in the country for economic reasons, but have made statements on stage or He plans to use his time on the show to focus on Palestine.
Among the artists who have pulled out are Chicago-based songwriter Ella Williams, known as Squirrel Flower, Los Angeles-based indie band Mama Larkey, and hip-hop trio Nee from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Includes cap.
The avalanche of boycotts stems from AFPC’s pressure campaign launched on February 21st, calling on artists to pressure SXSW over the defense group’s inclusion. Zainab Haider, AFPC’s director of initiatives, told The Hill.
The organization notes that the Army is a major sponsor of SXSW, and that the military defense company RTX (also known as Raytheon) and its subsidiary Collins Aerospace, which manufactures weapons and equipment used by the Israeli military, participate in the festival. I am protesting that I am there.
BAE Systems is also invited to participate as an exhibitor at a related event known as Startup Crawl at Capital Factory House. A BAE spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill that the defense company has “no plans to participate in any capacity” at SXSW.
RTX and Collins Aerospace did not respond to requests for comment.
“We are proud to sponsor SXSW and have the opportunity to showcase the United States Army,” said Army spokesman Matt Ahern. SXSW provides a unique opportunity for the Army to meet technology innovators and leaders, explore new ideas and insights, and forge dynamic industry partnerships as we modernize for the future. ”
Hyder said AFPC’s efforts have quickly gained momentum, with nearly 600 people emailing SXSW “expressing fear” of military sponsors since late last month.
“These organizations are sponsoring, funding, or arming Israel’s attack on Gaza, which the International Court of Justice is investigating as a genocide in Palestine.”
Israel launched air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip in October after Hamas, the militant group that controls the strip, attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages. It started.
More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, the majority of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The United States, Israel’s largest military supporter, provides Israel with approximately $4 billion annually in defense aid, and has also provided additional weapons, such as American-made aircraft and bombs, for use in the conflict since the start of the war. sent to the same country.
AFPC alleges that RTX manufactures missiles, bombs and other weapons used by the Israeli military against Palestinians, and that Collins Aerospace provides parts for aircraft used by the Israel Defense Forces. There is. Meanwhile, BAE Systems “has been supplying weapons and equipment used in the occupation of the Palestinian territories.” AFPC website.
Hyder said the group worked with the Austin Musicians Federation, the United Musicians and Allied Workers Federation to spread the message, and also handed it out to people at the SXSW offices, but received no response. .
The boycott quickly caught the attention of Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), who said, “Goodbye. Don’t come back.” in a social media post. “Austin remains the headquarters of Army Futures Command. San Antonio is America’s military capital. We are proud of our military in Texas. If you don’t like that, don’t come here.”
SXSW’s official account quickly responded, “We disagree with Governor Abbott’s opinion.”
Festival organizers wrote that while defending the army’s sponsorship role in the festival, they “fully respect the decisions taken by the artists to exercise their right to freedom of expression.”
“The defense industry has historically been a testing ground for many of the systems we rely on today,” they write.
“These agencies are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we think it’s good to understand how their approaches impact our lives. As for Collins Aerospace, they are participating as sponsors of two SXSW pitch categories this year, giving entrepreneurs visibility to work that has the potential to bring innovation. We provided sex and funding.”
The conflict between Israel and Hamas was also acknowledged, but the organizers did not take sides.
“We have and will continue to support human rights for all,” they wrote. “The situation in the Middle East is tragic and highlights the growing importance of coming together against injustice.”
AFPC called SXSW’s response “vacuous” and “performative.”
“It quickly became clear to our coalition and the musicians who fell out that empty talk of ‘justice’ was not going to do much to hide the fact that SXSW was forcing musicians to cohabit with warmongers. ,” the group said.
The music portion of the SXSW festival begins Monday and runs through Saturday.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
