Over 100 well-known names – including writers, actors, directors and musicians – have signed a pledge supporting Lorde's decision not to perform in Israel.
The statement was published in The Guardian following backlash over the Kiwi singer’s cancellation of her concert in Tel Aviv. It is a direct response to a full page ad published in the Washington Post on January 1 which called Lorde a bigot and also attacked her homeland of New Zealand.
“We deplore the bullying tactics being used to defend injustice against Palestinians and to suppress an artist’s freedom of conscience. We support Lorde’s right to take a stand,” reads the letter in The Guardian. "Shmuley Boteach, the author and promoter of the advert, supports Israel’s illegal settlements and wrote last month on Breitbart to thank Donald Trump for “electrifying the world” with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in defiance of international law. He has nothing to teach artists about human rights."
Lorde cancelled her concert in response to Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine.
“I’ve received an overwhelming number of messages and letters and have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views, and I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show,” said Lorde.“I’m not too proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one. I’m truly sorry to reverse my commitment to come play for you.”
Among the stars who have put their names to the letter in The Guardian are:
Khalid Abdalla, Actor
Tunde Adebimpe, Musician
Rachel Aggs, Musician
Yasmine Al Massri, Actor
Kevin Allen, Screenwriter and Director
Amir Amirani, Filmmaker
Adjoa Andoh, Actor
Frankie Armstrong, Singer
Conrad Atkinson, Artist
Sarah Beddington, Artist
Yves Berger, Painter
Caroline Bergvall, Writer and Artist
Nicholas Blincoe Writer
Leah Borromeo, Filmmaker
Jonathan Burrows, Choreographer
David Calder, Actor
Julie Christie, Actor
Ian Christie Film Historian, Broadcaster
Chipo Chung Actor
Caryl Churchill Playwright
Dominic Cooke, Director
Kia Corthron, Playwright and Novelist
Joseph Coward, Writer and Artist
Molly Crabapple, Artist and Writer
John Cusack, Actor, Writer, Producer, and Board Member Freedom Of The Press Foundation
Selma Dabbagh, Writer
Cherien Dabis, Film And TV Director
William Dalrymple, Writer
Angela Davis, Writer
Dror Dayan, Filmmaker
Laurence Dreyfus, Director and Phantasm Viol Consort
Carol Drinkwater, Filmmaker
David Edgar, Playwright
Nancy Elan, Violinist
Brian Eno, Musician
Eve Ensler, Playwright and Performer
Samir Eskanda Musician
Jodie Evans, Writer and Producer
Shepard Fairey, Artist
Michelle Fairley, Actor
Saeed T. Farouky, Filmmaker
Fat White Family Band
Yasmin Fedda, Filmmaker
Bella Freud, Designer
Peter Gabriel Musician
Lisa Gerrard, Composer
Tom Gilroy, Film Director
David Gray Musician
Kathleen Hanna, Musician and Artist
John Keane, Artist
Reem Kelani, Singer and Musicologist
Peter Kennard, Artist
Al Kennedy, Writer
Jonathan Kent, Theatre and Opera Director
Hari Kunzru, Writer
Talib Kweli, Musician
David Lan, Artistic Director, Young Vic
Paul Laverty, Scriptwriter
Tom Leonard, Poet
Ken Loach, Film Director
Miriam Margolyes, Actor
Kika Markham, Actor
Yann Martel, Writer
Emel Mathlouthi, Musician
Pauline Melville, Writer
Tom Morello, Musician
Jenny Morgan, Filmmaker
David Morrissey Actor, Director
Viggo Mortensen, Actor, Writer, Musician, Artist
Peter Mullan, Actor and Director
Rebecca O’Brien, Film Producer
Andrew O’Hagan, Writer
Eugene O’Hare Actor, Writer
Maxine Peake, Actor
Miranda Pennell, Filmmaker
Brendan Perry, Musician
Nancy Platt, Filmmaker
Jocelyn Pook, Composer
Dave Randall, Musician
Mark Ruffalo, Actor
Alexei Sayle, Comedian and Writer
James Schamus, Producer, Writer and Director
David Scott, Music Producer and Sound Engineer
Nabil Shaban, Actor and Writer
Wallace Shawn, Actor and Playwright
Farhana Sheikh, Writer
Gillian Slovo, Writer
Cherry Smith, Poet
John Smith, Artist
Chris Somes-Charlton, Artist Management
Ahdaf Soueif, Writer
Juliet Stevenson, Actor
Jennie Stoller, Actor
Samuel Toms, Musician
Alice Walker, Writer
Naomi Wallace, Playwright and Screenwriter
Roger Waters, Musician
Hilary Westlake, Theatre Director
Susan Wooldridge, Actor and Writer
Nicholas Wright, Playwright and Director
Emily Young, Artist
Benjamin Zephaniah, Poet and Musician
