Palestinian Activist, Bambie Thug, Discusses Unity, Kneecap's Legal Struggle, and Boycott of Eurovision 2026
In a poignant display of solidarity, the Together For Palestine concert at Wembley Arena, curated by Brian Eno, brought together a diverse lineup of artists and celebrities to raise awareness and funds for Palestine. The event, which was available as a livestream, was described as having a melancholy yet powerful feeling of unity, and a heavy but beautiful atmosphere.
Performances came from the likes of Damon Albarn, Paul Weller, Rachel Chinouriri, Yasiin Bey, and more, with guest speakers including Eric Cantona, PinkPantheress, Richard Gere, Benedict Cumberbatch, Florence Pugh, and Nicola Coughlan.
Bambie Thug, the first openly non-binary artist to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024, encouraged supporters of the cause not to feel hopeless, as the community is ever-growing and ever-building. Bambie Thug also expressed support for the proposed boycott of Eurovision 2026 if Israel is allowed to participate, hoping that more countries will join and that the competition will be cancelled.
The artist also voiced their opinion on the potential consequences if Mo Chara of Irish language rappers Kneecap were to be found guilty of terror charge accusations, stating it would reveal government corruption and fear of opposing voices.
The concert's proceeds will be distributed to organizations like Taawon, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, and Palestine Medical Relief Service through the Together For Palestine Fund. A link to donate to the fund can be found here.
Israel has denied accusations of genocide or war crimes. However, in the last weeks, Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Spain, Iceland, and Belgium have announced they will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates, accusing the contest of hypocrisy for previously banning Russia.
Robinson later joined 70 former contestants in signing a letter to call for Israel's ban from Eurovision due to fears of 'normalizing and whitewashing' alleged war crimes in Palestine. The UN commission concluded that Israel had committed a genocide in Gaza.
For those who missed the concert, coverage can be found here. The event served as a powerful reminder of the importance of unity and advocacy in addressing global issues.
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