The Tricycle theatre asked the organisers of the UK Jewish Film Festival (which the Tricycle hosts annually) not to accept a sponsorship donation from the Israeli embassy. The theatre offered to cover the costs itself and wants to continue with the festival but the festival organisers decided to withdraw the festival. Some commentators have subsequently said the theatre was being antisemitic and should be boycotted. The theatres board, which has both Jewish and non-Jewish members, together with its artistic director, made the decision collectively that at this time of war in Gaza, having funding for the festival from the Israeli embassy would be controversial. They never intended to censor or limit the festival. But now they are being accused of antisemitism.
The artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham, is a Tamil who knows a lot about what racism means both in theory and in practice. She is not in any respect antisemitic, as anyone who knows her or has worked with her can testify.
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