Marc Almond, please don’t perform in Apartheid Israel.

Marc Almond

UPDATE (12 May): Marc Almond CANCELS Tel Aviv concert. Thank you Marc!

Report by Bruce & Janet / RFH photos by Janet

Saturday, 7 May 2011 – Members of Camden PSC, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG), Don’t Play Apartheid Israel and other BDS activists were present at a concert featuring singer/songwriter  Marc Almond outside London’s Royal Festival Hall (RFH) where they spoke to and distributed flyers to dozens of concert-goers, visitors and tourists.

The artist whose hits include “Tainted Love” and “Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart” is scheduled to perform in Tel Aviv on 14 May, just weeks before the anniversary of Israel’s attack on the Mavi Marmara which killed nine solidarity campaigners.

One concert-goer, who wasn’t aware of Almond’s performance in Apartheid Israel, told campaigners that she wouldn’t have purchased tickets if she knew he was performing there. “It’s great what you’re doing” she said, “This world needs more people like you.” One Iraqi man, along with his young daughter told a campaigner “I’m glad you’re here” and expressed support for the non-violent BDS campaign against the Zionist oppression of Palestinians, as did many other people that evening.

This action attracted no fewer than eight private South Bank security operatives who tried unsuccessfully to prevent activists from speaking to and leafleting members of the public – many of who expressed sympathy with the BDS campaign. A police constable eventually turned up but didn’t take any action – and just like the private South Bank security operatives, eventually left.

After the performance began, several activists went inside the RFH, spoke to and distributed flyers to concert-goers, including those in Almond’s entourage and staff at the stage entrance in the hope that Marc Almond will join other artists, including Gil Scott-Heron, Faithless, Elvis Costello, Leftfield, The Gorillaz Sound System, The Klaxons, The Pixies, Roger Waters, Massive Attack, Devendra Banhart, Christy Moore, Santana, Tindersticks and Vanessa Paradis – all of who refuse to perform in Apartheid Israel.

The late Dusty Springfield, much admired by Marc Almond, took a stand against Apartheid South Africa in 1964 and it would be a fitting tribute to Dusty if Almond takes a stand against another Apartheid state; Israel, by refusing to perform there.

Dusty Springfield made a small but significant gesture in 1964 when she included an anti-Apartheid clause in her contract to perform in South Africa. She refused to sing for segregated audiences. After performing for integrated audiences in Cape Town, the white government panicked and placed her and her band under house arrest. They were forced to cancel their tour and return back to the United Kingdom.

“Boycott from Within,” the BDS movement inside Israel, recently wrote to Marc Almond informing him that his performance will be used to whitewash the Zionist government’s vicious policies, as well as stating that his Palestinian fans from the occupied territories living under Israeli military occupation will be unable to attend his show.

Please email Marc Almond’s management company to urge Marc not to perform in Apartheid Israel at ma.management@yahoo.com

You can also join the Facebook group Marc Almond, Please Don’t Play for Apartheid Israel

These security operatives were a bit camera shy.