A London-based electronic music festival, Origins, has cancelled a scheduled performance by Israeli DJ Roi Perez following pressure from the activist group Ravers for Palestine, who accused the artist of symbolising “liberal Zionism” and “making apartheid look like a party”, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The cancellation came after the group published a blog post on Substack, describing Perez as a “linchpin” of Israeli nightlife and condemning his history of involvement in peace-building initiatives. Despite Perez’s advocacy for Israeli-Palestinian coexistence and LGBTQ+ rights, the activists criticised his fundraising work and called for his removal from the festival lineup.
“This is a DJ who encodes, via his plucky province-to-metropole settler backstory and appropriation of Black house music, the colonial narrative of a benevolent, queer-friendly liberal Zionism,” the blog stated.
Responding to the post, Origins wrote in a now-deleted Instagram story — still circulating online — that it had learned of “concerns about Perez’s background” and had decided to act accordingly. “We have read the recent statement from Ravers for Palestine and want to be absolutely clear that as a collective, we firmly and unequivocally support Palestinian liberation,” the organisers stated. “We do not want to take any action that undermines that struggle or risks platforming voices in ways that contribute to the ongoing genocide and Israel’s settler-colonial project.”
Perez, based in Berlin, has previously hosted events that raised funds for humanitarian causes on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. One such event in November 2023, organised by Perez’s collective Laundrette, supported victims of the October 7 Hamas massacre, unsheltered Bedouin communities, displaced Palestinians affected by settler violence, and queer Arabs in need of psychological support.
“We emphasise our belief in coexistence and our hope for peace,” Laundrette stated at the time. However, Ravers for Palestine dismissed this language, arguing it minimised the oppression of Palestinians. “Let’s be clear—‘peace’ in this context is a euphemism for the orderly annihilation of Palestinian life,” the group wrote. “Any settler advocating for ‘coexistence,’ rather than full decolonisation and right of return, supports the colonial occupation of Palestine and its continuance.”
The decision to cancel Perez’s set at the London nightclub FOLD has triggered backlash, especially from those familiar with his activism. Many expressed frustration that Perez — one of the few Israeli artists vocally critical of his government — was targeted.
“AS AN ISRAELI!!! I find it embarrassing to read what you wrote. Roi is one of the most prominent Israeli figures pushing against the state narrative, openly supporting Palestine and every action against Israel — and yet he’s the one you’re trying to crucify,” commented one user on Instagram. Others, including non-Israeli commentators, echoed the sentiment, suggesting the move undermined genuine voices of dissent.
The incident forms part of a growing trend in which artists with any Israeli affiliation are targeted or excluded, regardless of their personal views — raising broader concerns about antisemitism and the erasure of Israeli or Jewish voices from public platforms under the guise of political protest.
Photo credit: Screenshot/HÖR BERLIN
More News
