SXSW controversy escalates as bands drop out over military ties

Controversy surrounding the annual South by Southwest festival, colloquially called SXSW, has escalated after more than 100 artists, most of them European, dropped out due to sponsorship of the musical and cultural event by the US military and contractors. defense in Austin, Texas.

As of Wednesday, five record labels and 105 individual bands and musicians, including more than 60 UK artists and the 12 Irish bands originally scheduled to perform, have opted to forego the nine-day festival in protest of the Pentagon’s support for the war. From Israel. in Gaza.

More than 10 groups have decided to stay for economic reasons, but will make statements on stage or use their time slot to focus on Palestine, according to the Austin Palestine Coalition (AFPC), the organization leading the boycott.

Artists who have dropped out include Chicago-based songwriter Ella Williams, known as Squirrel Flower, Los Angeles-based indie band Mamalarky, and hip-hop trio Kneecap from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The spate of boycotts stems from a pressure campaign by the AFPC, launched on February 21, calling on artists to put pressure on SXSW for the involvement of advocacy entities, Zainab Haider, leader of the initiative at the AFPC.

The group has protested the Army’s heavy sponsorship of SXSW, as well as the festival’s inclusion of military defense firm RTX, also known as Raytheon, and its subsidiary Collins Aerospace, which make weapons and equipment used by the Army. Israeli army.

BAE Systems has also been called for its participation as an exhibitor in a connected event known as Startup Crawl at Capital Factory House. In a statement to The Hill, a BAE spokesperson said the defense firm “has no plans to participate in any way” at SXSW.

RTX and Collins Aerospace did not respond to requests for comment.

Army spokesman Matt Ahearn said he is “proud to be a sponsor of SXSW and to have the opportunity to showcase the United States military. “SXSW presents a unique opportunity for the Army to meet with technology leaders and innovators, explore new ideas and knowledge, and create dynamic industry partnerships as we modernize for the future.”

The AFPC effort has quickly gained momentum, and since late last month nearly 600 people have emailed SXSW “to express their horror” toward military-linked sponsors, Haider said.

“These entities are sponsoring, financing or supplying weapons for Israel’s attack on Gaza, for which the International Court of Justice is investigating as genocide in Palestine.”

In October, Israel launched an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas militant group, which controls the territory, attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 253 others hostage.

Since then, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The United States, Israel’s largest military backer, provides Israel with about $4 billion in defense assistance annually and has also sent additional weapons to the country since the start of the war to be used in the conflict, such as aircraft and manufactured bombs. US.

AFPC maintains that RTX makes missiles, bombs and other weapons that the Israeli military uses against the Palestinians, while Collins Aerospace provides components for aircraft used by the Israel Defense Forces. Meanwhile, BAE Systems “has supplied weapons and equipment used in the occupation of Palestinian territories,” according to AFPC website.

Haider said the group coordinated with the Austin Federation of Musicians and United Musicians and Allied Workers to spread its message, and also hand-delivered it to those at the SXSW offices, but received no response.

The boycotts quickly caught the attention of Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), who wrote: “Goodbye. Do not come back” in a social media post. “Austin remains the headquarters of the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is the military city of the United States. We are proud of the US military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”

The official SXSW account quickly responded that it “disagrees with Governor Abbott.”

Festival organizers wrote that they “fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to freedom of expression,” while defending the military’s sponsorship role in the festival.

“The defense industry has historically been a testing ground for many of the systems we rely on today,” they wrote.

“These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies and we believe it is best to understand how their approach will impact our lives. The Army’s sponsorship is part of our commitment to presenting ideas that shape our world. As for Collins Aerospace, they participated this year as a sponsor of two SXSW Pitch categories, giving entrepreneurs visibility and funding for potentially game-changing work.”

The conflict between Israel and Hamas was also recognized, although the organizers did not take sides.

“We have supported and will continue to support human rights for all,” they wrote. “The situation in the Middle East is tragic and highlights the growing importance of standing united against injustice.”

AFPC called SXSW’s response “empty” and “performative.”

“It was immediately clear to our coalition and to the musicians who walked out that these empty words promoting ‘justice’ did not do a great job of hiding the fact that SXSW IS forcing musicians to sleep with warmongers,” the group said.

The music component of the SXSW festival began Monday and runs through Saturday.