The cancellation of a show by Irish folk band Lankum in Germany over their pro-Palestine stance has been branded “disgraceful”.
The cancellation of a show by Irish folk band Lankum in Germany over their pro-Palestine stance has been branded “disgraceful”.
The band is set to take the stage at Dublin’s 3Arena next week as part of a ‘Gig for Gaza’ just days after a German gig was cancelled because their “political stance”
Lankum were due to play The TransCentury Festival in Leipzig on Sunday night (November 19) along with Gloria De Oliveira, before it was announced by organisers that they were pulling the plug.
In a statement released in both German and English on The TransCentury Festival Instagram page, festival organisers said: “The Lankum & Gloria De Oliveira concerts tonight will not take place.
“Lankum represents a political stance that we as a venue and festival do not represent. In consultation with the artists, we have agreed to cancel the concert.”
A refund for the tickets was offered to festival attendees.
However the band’s other German dates including a sold-out show in Cologne have gone ahead.
Lankum, made up of brothers Ian Lynch and Darragh Lynch, along with Cormac MacDiarmada and Radie Peat, have been vocal in their showing of solidarity with the people of Palestine.
“Like most people of sound mind and reason around the globe, we are heartbroken and shocked to see the indiscriminate murder of children and civilians happening for the past few weeks,” Lankum said.
“This, on top of decades of oppression, persecution and dehumanisation is something we can only struggle to comprehend. That is why we are very proud to raise our voices in solidarity with the people of Palestine. It’s the very very least we can do.”
In the wake of the Hamas terror attack on 7 October, the German government banned about a quarter of the pro-Palestine marches registered with the authorities in their main cities.
Germany is home to Europe’s largest Palestinian community, with roughly 80,000 Palestinians living in the country.
People Before Profit parry said the “disgraceful move” to ban the Lankum gig “reflects an atmosphere of repression that is meted out to anyone who stands up for Palestine”.
“The German state has systematically banned many Palestinian protests,” the party stated.
“In Berlin, bans have been issued against protests with titles such as ‘Peace in the Middle East’ or ‘Jewish Berliners Against Violence in the Middle East,’ a rally organised by Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East, a Jewish organisation.”
The party also claims that a ban was imposed on a Youth Against Racism rally which was called after a high school teacher hit a student who had brought a Palestinian flag to school.
Lankum, who were nominated for this year’s Mercury music prize for their fourth album, False Lankum, are set to play the 3Arena next week as part of the Gig for Gaza, under the umbrella group Irish Artists For Palestine.
The group will be joining some of the leading names in Irish folk and trad-informed music for the concert with all proceeds going to Medical Aid For Palestinians.
The line-up for the Gig For Gaza includes The Mary Wallopers, Damien Dempsey, Lisa O’Neill, Pauline Scanlon, Síle Denvir, and Niamh Dunne & Friends.
The Gig For Gaza is one of a series of events taking place across Ireland under the Irish Artists for Palestine banner – with another show taking place the same night at 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin, featuring The Saw Doctors, The Stunning, Mary Black and others.
Source: Cancellation of Lankum’s German gig over pro-Palestine stance branded ‘disgraceful’