The Menstrual Cramps pull out of Boardmasters 2025 over “platforming of Israeli people”
The Menstrual Cramps have pulled out of Boardmasters 2025, saying the festival had not met demands to “culturally boycott Israel”.
- READ MORE: Over 100 acts have now dropped out of The Great Escape 2024 in Gaza boycott, with support from Massive Attack
The band took to their official Instagram to share a statement explaining why they were removing themselves from the line-up of the annual festival in Newquay.
“We understand that many artists are happy with Boardmasters most recent statement,” they began, referencing the Cornwall festival’s announcement that it was keeping Bob Vylan on the bill, despite some calling for the punk-rap duo to be dropped from the line-up due to their controversial Glastonbury comments.
However, the Bristol band went on to share the “key issues” that led to them withdrawing, citing the inclusion of Israeli’s at the festival, as well as the organisers not meeting demands set by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI).
“There are Israeli surfers taking part in the festival + surfing competitions,” they said. “It was made clear to us that the festival will not remove them from the festival, which goes against our beliefs. We believe in a cultural Boycott of Israel, which means not spotlighting Israeli’s at a festival during a genocide.
They added that to their knowledge, Boardmasters had not agreed to discuss these issues with US investment firm KKR or the entertainment company Superstruct it acquired last year.
“When festivals, cultural spaces, sports competitions, music competitions (looking at you EuroVision) platform Israeli people,” The Menstrual Cramps continued, “they make an active choice to legitimise and normalise the genocide. We cannot and will not look the other way.
“We appreciate Boardmasters taking the time to meet and discuss this with us, and we hope they change their stance in the future. FREE PALESTINE.”
On the festival’s website, they addressed the ongoing genocide and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which they called an “atrocity”, adding: “As a festival built on community, empathy, and human connection, we feel a moral responsibility to speak out and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“In response, the Boardmasters Foundation will be donating to Medical Campaign x Sameer Project, to support those whose lives have been shattered by these inhuman actions.”
The Menstrual Cramps’ post was shared in collaboration with campaign group, Bands Boycott Barclays. The bank previously sponsored a number of other festivals, including Latitude, Download, Isle Of Wight – all of whom went on to drop Barclays as a sponsor following a mass boycott from bands.
They were accused of investing in a number of companies that supply arms to Israel, with over 60,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since the historic conflict escalated last year, with Hamas committing the October 7 attacks.
As for Boardmasters – who are not sponsored by Barclays – this year’s festival will see headline performances from Central Cee, RAYE and The Prodigy. Other names on the bill include The Wombats, Sub Focus, Flo, Leigh-Anne, Krept & Konan, The Blessed Madonna, Caity Baser, Maverick Sabre, Kaiser Chiefs, Rizzle Kicks and Natasha Bedingfield, as well as Fat Dog, Maribou State, Nelly Furtado, London Grammar, Wet Leg, Franz Ferdinand and Bob Vylan.
The post The Menstrual Cramps pull out of Boardmasters 2025 over “platforming of Israeli people” appeared first on NME.
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