The founder of London’s E1 nightclub, Yuval Hen, has resigned from his role as director after it was revealed that he had served for the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in Gaza. The revelation came to light after Ravers For Palestine shared a screenshot of a now-deleted Facebook post featuring images of Hen in an IDF uniform, accompanied by a caption indicating he was “returning home” after serving for four months “somewhere in Gaza.” The group called for artists, promoters, and club-goers to boycott the East London nightclub.
There are calls in the UK to bring legal charges against residents who have travelled to Israel to serve in the IDF amid its ground invasion of Gaza. This follows an ICJ ruling that Israel was “at risk” of violating international law in regards to the conflict. E1 has referred to Hen as the “previous owner,” as he had resigned from his role as director. However, a transfer of ownership has yet to be confirmed.
E1 has confirmed that Hen will “not be returning to the club.” Nevertheless, several events are still scheduled to take place this weekend, including kink party Klub Verboten, which shared a statement on Instagram and expressed a commitment to supporting freelancers and suppliers.
E1 will close later this year, as plans for a new development were approved by Tower Hamlets Council that will see a new venue on the site, alongside 114 residential flats and a storage facility. It is unclear if this development will now take place under new ownership. E1 has emphasized that it is “a place for music and dancing” and has “no connection to political movements.
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