Pro-Palestine protesters interrupted a performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) at the BBC Proms in London on Friday, accusing the orchestra’s management of silencing artists critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Jewish Artists for Palestine group disrupted the concert for over ten minutes, with some members shouting from the upper stalls of the Royal Albert Hall.
Videos on social media showed protesters holding signs reading “Jewish Artists for Palestine” and “complicit in genocide”. One protester shouted, “The MSO has blood on its hands. You silenced Jayson Gillham.” The group stated they reject “Zionist funding, censorship and complicity in our cultural institutions”.
The disruption was met with booing from some audience members. The BBC, which broadcast the performance, apologised for the disruption, stating that the concert was paused and the live radio broadcast diverted to pre-recorded music. Security removed the protesters, and the programme was restarted in a different order.
An MSO spokesperson said the London performance was the culmination of a successful European tour, and praised the orchestra’s resilience and professionalism. The protest follows the cancellation of a concert by pianist Jayson Gillham in August 2024, after he made remarks about journalists killed in Gaza. Gillham is suing the MSO, claiming the cancellation was an attempt to silence him.
In a statement, Gillham said the protest highlighted the MSO’s global reputational damage. He urged the MSO to affirm artists’ rights to speak on issues of conscience. The MSO previously admitted an error in cancelling the concert and is seeking to reschedule it.
