An Israeli-organised music festival in Portugal was forced to cancel on Thursday, the day it was due to begin, following an intense campaign by Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activists. Organisers of the Anta Gathering described the campaign as “well-funded, orchestrated, and built on lies and hatred,” accusing it of deliberately sabotaging their event and targeting them for being Israeli, reports The Jerusalem Post.
Despite full approval from Portuguese authorities, the presence of round-the-clock security, and a dedicated police unit assigned to the festival, the organisers said the hostility and pressure generated by BDS Portugal and allied groups made it impossible to proceed. In an emotional statement, the team said they were “still processing the shock” and added: “Their goal was never about music or community, but only to divide, intimidate, and cause pain. The damage has been devastating and made it impossible to move forward.”
The campaign specifically targeted Shahar Bickel, one of the organisers, circulating images of him in an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) uniform and alleging that any IDF reservist was complicit in “genocide.” In posts comparing Israeli soldiers to Nazis, activists claimed: “Not being in Gaza doesn’t make it any less genocidal. Would anyone in their right mind claim that SS members who were not deployed to Auschwitz were less Nazis?”
Organisers rejected the accusations, insisting that none of the team had ever been to Gaza or taken part in violence. They stated: “The entire campaign and accusations made by the BDS movement and its affiliates are filled with false information. We are not soldiers… We are human beings who want to spread a message of connection, peace, and love.”
The festival’s collapse has left organisers facing severe financial strain, having already paid suppliers, booked flights for artists, and now burdened with refunding ticket holders. They have urged supporters to consider forgoing refunds or accepting partial reimbursement and have launched a GoFundMe campaign.
Dean Bickel, Shahar’s brother and co-organiser, was also scheduled to perform, under the stage names Fat Cat and Bickeloz. Both expressed determination to revive the festival in the future: “This is not the end. Anta is about love, freedom, and community, and no campaign of hate will ever destroy that. With your support, we will heal, rebuild, and dance together again.”
The Jewish community has pointed to the cancellation as another example of how BDS campaigns often slide into antisemitism by isolating and delegitimising Israelis as individuals, regardless of their political stance or personal actions. With Portugal hosting one of the more vocal BDS movements in Europe, Jewish leaders warn that events like Anta Gathering show how antisemitic rhetoric is increasingly targeting cultural and artistic platforms, not just political ones.
Photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X, SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT
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