Concert by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Disrupted by Protests at Paris Philharmonie – Complaint Filed
Paris, France – november 8, 2024 – The Philharmonie de Paris has strongly condemned disruptions during a Thursday evening concert by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and announced it has filed a formal complaint following what it described as ”grave incidents.” The concert, led by Lahav Shani and featuring pianist Sir András Schiff, was repeatedly interrupted by protestors, leading to clashes with audience members.
According to a press release issued by the Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris, individuals holding valid tickets attempted to disrupt the performance on three separate occasions, twice deploying smoke bombs. Audience members intervened, resulting in physical confrontations before security personnel were able to evacuate the protestors. The concert was temporarily halted but ultimately resumed and concluded without further incident.
rising Tensions & Pre-Concert Controversy
The concert was held amidst growing controversy, with pro-Palestinian activists calling for its cancellation. The CGT-Spectacle union had also urged the Philharmonie to acknowledge “extremely serious accusations” against Israeli leadership regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Security measures were heightened in anticipation of potential protests.
The incidents have sparked a swift and forceful response from French officials.Minister of Culture Rachida Dati took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend the concert, stating, “welcome to the israel National Orchestra… Freedom of creation and programming is a value of our Republic. No pretext for anti-Semitism!”
Condemnation from Jewish Community Leaders
Yonathan arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish institutions of France (CRIF), also condemned the disruptions, calling for “exemplary sanctions” against the “hateful agitators.” He added, “The calls for boycotts and the increasing disruptions are unacceptable. They will never prevent artists targeted by hatred from receiving the ovation of the public.”
The Philharmonie de Paris reiterated that “nothing can justify” the actions taken by protestors, emphasizing that while it had engaged with concerns raised prior to the concert, violence is not an acceptable form of debate.
Keywords: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonie de Paris, Paris Concert, Protests, Gaza, Anti-Semitism, rachida Dati, Yonathan Arfi, Concert Disruption, France News, Cultural Event, Music News, Israel, Palestine.
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