- Dec 29, 2008
- 19,672
- 4,729
- 280
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) activists in Spain will be tried in court for the boycott and harassment of Jewish American singer Matisyahu in the summer of 2015, a Spanish court ruled.
The Examining Court number 19 of Valencia has admitted into procedure a criminal complaint filed by the Legal Committee against Discrimination, an association of human rights lawyers combating discrimination and anti-Semitism in Spain, against nine BDS activists.
In August 2015, Matisyahu was scheduled to perform at the annual reggae music festival Rototom Sunsplash that takes place in Benicàssim, north of Valencia, Spain.
Following pressure from the Valencia and Catalonia BDS movements, which the organizers of the festival said waged a campaign of “pressure, coercion and threats” against them, Matisyahu was asked to publicly denounce Israel and declare his support for a Palestinian state.
Matisyahu refused to issue a statement in favor of Palestinian statehood, stating that he was the only artist asked to declare his political position in order to sing, and cancelled his participation in the festival.
The incident was picked up by the international media and unleashed a wave of criticism against the festival by the press, the Spanish government, and Jewish organizations.
As a result, Matisyahu was re-invited, and decided to perform as scheduled at the festival saying that he “always believed in the power of music to unite all people, regardless of religion, politics or geography.”
“This was an excruciating decision, as I felt that my core, essential being was being used as a pawn for political convenience. It is my deep conviction however that acceptance and the ability for rebirth allow us to move forward,” he wrote on his Facebook page of his ordeal.
The singer defiantly performed at the concert to thousands of fans, though under massive security measures and under an atmosphere of hostility orchestrated by the BDS movement.
If found guilty, the nine BDS leaders, who face charges of incitement to hatred and discrimination, could face jail time.
Spanish Courts to try BDS leaders of Matisyahu boycott
Even in anti semitic Spain, bds activists are found to be especially disgusting.
The Examining Court number 19 of Valencia has admitted into procedure a criminal complaint filed by the Legal Committee against Discrimination, an association of human rights lawyers combating discrimination and anti-Semitism in Spain, against nine BDS activists.
In August 2015, Matisyahu was scheduled to perform at the annual reggae music festival Rototom Sunsplash that takes place in Benicàssim, north of Valencia, Spain.
Following pressure from the Valencia and Catalonia BDS movements, which the organizers of the festival said waged a campaign of “pressure, coercion and threats” against them, Matisyahu was asked to publicly denounce Israel and declare his support for a Palestinian state.
Matisyahu refused to issue a statement in favor of Palestinian statehood, stating that he was the only artist asked to declare his political position in order to sing, and cancelled his participation in the festival.
The incident was picked up by the international media and unleashed a wave of criticism against the festival by the press, the Spanish government, and Jewish organizations.
As a result, Matisyahu was re-invited, and decided to perform as scheduled at the festival saying that he “always believed in the power of music to unite all people, regardless of religion, politics or geography.”
“This was an excruciating decision, as I felt that my core, essential being was being used as a pawn for political convenience. It is my deep conviction however that acceptance and the ability for rebirth allow us to move forward,” he wrote on his Facebook page of his ordeal.
The singer defiantly performed at the concert to thousands of fans, though under massive security measures and under an atmosphere of hostility orchestrated by the BDS movement.
If found guilty, the nine BDS leaders, who face charges of incitement to hatred and discrimination, could face jail time.
Spanish Courts to try BDS leaders of Matisyahu boycott
Even in anti semitic Spain, bds activists are found to be especially disgusting.
