Pro-Palestinians protest against Israel's Batsheva dance company in Paris
A few dozen pro-Palestinian activists tried to disrupt a performance by the Batsheva Israeli dance company in Paris on Tuesday night.
Several dozen protesters held a demonstration outside the Opéra de Paris, but a number of pro-Palestinian activists managed to get inside where they draped Palestinian flags and shouted anti-Israel slogans.
A number of pro-Palestinian activist groups released a statement prior to the performance calling for it’s members to demonstrate against it.
“It is a shame that Palestinian people are killed everyday by the Israeli occupier, and so many Palestinian children are jailed and tortured,” the statement read, adding that it “is a shame that Palestinian artists are unable to exert their art, to express themselves, and are deprived of their freedom of movement in all occupied Palestine and especially in Gaza were they have been under an inhuman siege for 8 years.”
“”We don’t dance with apartheid””Despite security checks, several protesters wearing keffiyehs (an Arabic headdress) and waving Palestinian flags called for a boycott of Israel, shouting “a racist gang in the Opéra Garnier”, “We do not dance with apartheid” and “murderer Israel, Palestine will conquer.”
The demonstrators also accused the Paris Opera of “complicity with the Zionist colonizers.”
The Palais Garnier theater was hosting Batsheva for the first time for the performance of “Three”, by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin and Israel’s ambassador to France, Aliza Bin Nun was in the crowd.
The demonstrators were quickly removed the auditorium by security following the disturbance, allowing the show to begin.
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“Palestinian flags in l’Opéra Garnier in Paris during a performance by Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company, January 5 2016”The performance garnered unanimous enthusiasm, with the crowd giving it a standing ovation.
“One of the nicest surprises of the 2015/2016 season,” said one spectator on Twitter.
“We do not see this every day and yet I subscribe for 25 years,” said another.
The Batsheva Dance company was founded in 1964 by the American choreographer Martha Graham in collaboration with Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild.
“Three” will be performed at the Opera Garnier in Paris until January 9.
Source: www.i24news.tv