Criticism of anti-Israel slogans at Sydney Festival’s family show
The Sydney Festival is facing a wave of criticism following the inclusion of a pro-Palestinian monologue in the Air Time show, presented by Branch Nebula at the Seymour Centre in Chippendale, a family-oriented performance featuring parkour, BMX, and skateboarding.
Activist Feras Shaheen opened the show with remarks condemning Israel for “genocide” and concluded with the controversial slogan, “From the river to the sea, always was, always will be,” widely interpreted as calling for the elimination of Israel.
Audience members have expressed outrage over the extreme political content in a show advertised as suitable for children with several walking out of the performance. One attendee writing on Facebook stated “to say I had a pit in my stomach the whole show is an understatement. Not something I expected me or my 10-year-old to be subjected to.” She also noted that the stage props featured Arabic graffiti, further politicizing the experience.
The controversy has fuelled broader debates about the direction of the festival, with critics accusing it of promoting divisive political ideologies. One social media post described the event as evidence that “Sydney Festival has become one big cesspool of the woke left.”
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies strongly condemned the performance, stating, “Numerous attendees have reported being forced to walk out with their children as a masked ‘artist’ recited the ‘river to the sea’ chant that calls for the extermination of Jewish people. It is unacceptable for families to be lured to a child-friendly Sydney Festival event only to be berated by extremists.” The Board has demanded refunds for affected attendees and urged the festival to take greater responsibility in curating content.
In response, the Sydney Festival today added a content warning to its website and requested the producer remove or modify the political messaging. However, the producer chose to proceed with the original content.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Arts Minister John Graham emphasized the importance of artistic freedom while underscoring the need for social cohesion and community safety. He stated, “While artistic freedom of expression is important, that cannot be at the cost of social cohesion or making some people in our community feel singled out, unsafe or threatened.”
The latest controversy follows that in 2022 when the festival was criticised by some for accepting a $20,000 sponsorship from the Israeli Embassy to support a performance by the Sydney Dance Company. This decision led to a boycott by more than 20 acts who withdrew in protest against the festival’s association with the Israeli government. The controversy prompted the festival to suspend all funding agreements with foreign governments and their cultural agencies.
The incident follows heightened tensions amid a surge in antisemitic incidents in Sydney, including the recent vandalism of synagogues. The New South Wales government has increased funding to enhance security for Jewish communities, but concerns over the festival’s direction remain.