The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has seen numerous cultural events being boycotted by artists who refuse to engage with corporations that support Israel. Comedians Joanne McNally and Alexandra Haddow have joined the list of artists who are boycotting the Latitude 2024 festival over the ongoing sponsorship by Barclays and its ties with Israel. The two are the most prominent comedians to boycott Latitude, which has already witnessed several music acts also dropping out.
Joanne McNally confirmed her decision to withdraw from the festival through an Instagram post. McNally, who was supposed to headline the comedy segment of the festival, posted online, “I’m no longer doing Latitude. I was due to close the comedy tent on the Sunday night but I pulled out last week. I’m on the old artwork but I haven’t been listed on the site since I pulled out a week ago.” Alexandra Haddow, another prominent comedian, followed suit by withdrawing from the festival. Haddow said she could not take the fee associated with the event, given the solidarity with Palestine against the ongoing violence.
The boycott by comedians comes in the wake of a similar boycott by music acts initially led by Irish singer-songwriter CMAT, who walked out of the event after she became aware of the bank’s ties to businesses providing weapons and military technology to Israel. Other music acts followed CMAT’s lead, with the Irish band Pillow Queens being the first group of musicians to boycott this year’s Latitude festival. The ongoing boycotts by artists protesting against Barclays’ ties with Israel have prompted discussions on the impact of cultural events, with more people becoming aware of the issue.
The Latitude festival will feature headliners such as Duran Duran, Kasabian, Keane, and London Grammar, among others. The boycott by comedians and musicians targeting the festival is part of a broader effort to raise awareness on the ongoing conflict and extend solidarity towards Palestine. While there is uncertainty regarding the impact of these boycotts, they have drawn attention to the issue of corporate sponsorship and revealed how it can fuel debate and action on wider geopolitical issues
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