PROTEST ZIGGY MARLEY'S PRESENCE IN ADELAIDE AT WOMAD
There will be two separate protests:
Protest #1 - Friday 8 March, 4:30pm-6pm
Protest #2 - Monday 11 March, 12 noon-1pm
Meet on corner Frome Road and Victoria Drive, Adelaide, opposite WOMADelaide's Frome Street entrance - bring your flags and corflutes.
If you are attending WOMAD please wear your keffiyeh inside and if you are attending the Ziggy Marley concerts stand and turn your back on Ziggy.
Renowned reggae artist, Ziggy Marley, the headline artist at WOMADelaide 2024 (World Music Adelaide), is an outspoken supporter of Israel even during its current genocidal operation in Gaza. In 2018, fans worldwide were shocked by his attendance at a star studded benefit for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). This event raised $60 million for a military that had already received more than $120 billion dollars from the US government since the end of World War II. WOMAD’s values are in stark contrast to the actions of their headline performer.
The Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA) has supported the Palestinian initiated Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement since its inception in 2005 including promoting the cultural boycott of artists who whitewash Israel’s crimes by playing in Israel or accepting money from the Israeli government. As Arye Mekel of Israeli’s Ministry of Foreign affairs said the Israeli government needs to show “Israel’s prettier face” to the world through culture. This cynical attempt to use artists to cover up Israel’s crimes has led to our BDS group protesting the presence of many artists in Adelaide including the Batsheva Dance Company, the L.E.V. Dance Company, the Rolling Stones and the Jerusalem Quartet. Renowned reggae artist, Ziggy Marley, is an outspoken supporter of Israel even during its current genocidal operation in Gaza. He is also the headline artist at WOMADelaide 2024 and will be the focus of an AFOPA campaign asking him to explain the dissonance between the idealism of his music and his public support for a regime brutally suppressing the people of Palestine.
Read more of Margaert Cassar's article on why we are protesting Ziggy Marley at WOMAD
See pictures of Ziggy Marley at the dinner that raised $60m for the Israeli military forces - this event occurred during the period of Gaza's Great March of Return, during which 214 Palestinians, including 46 children, were killed, and over 36,100, including nearly 8,800 children were injured. One in five of those injured (over 8,000) were hit by live ammunition. During the same period, one Israeli soldier was killed and seven others were injured during the demonstrations. (UN Website)