This year’s Harbourfront’s International Dance Festival “Torque” was opened by an Israeli Dance Troup L-E-V on March 3-5 with their newest show “Chapter 3, The Brutal Journey of the Heart”.
This event was supported by the Israeli Consulate, Israel-Canada Culture Fund and Azrieli Foundation.
The Canadian BDS Coalition along with the Greater Toronto BDS Group instantly voiced their concern about this collaboration, asking Harbourfront to cancel this event.
Over 3,440 letters were sent to the Harbourfront Centre urging them to cancel the event but Harbourfront Centre met BDS organizers and all the concerned Canadians with silence. This left “Greater Toronto for BDS” with no other choice but to take further action.
On the evening of March 5, 2022, The Greater Toronto for BDS organized a creative action in front of Harbourfront Centre. They were joined by artists who have performed at Harbourfront in the past and members of four Palestinian Solidarity groups across the city, including: Palestine Youth Movement, GTA for Palestine, Independent Jewish Voices and Actions4Palestine.
Greater Toronto for BDS projected the BDS slogan upon the Harbourfront theatre wall. The slogan was high enough to be seen by pedestrians and those driving by. The BDS slogan was accompanied by Palestinian music which attracted the attention of those going by and created a lively atmosphere. The group handed out leaflets informing those going into the dance performance of what they will be supporting if they choose to go in. Several of the members made their way up to the performance space with a Palestinian flag, BDS stickers and a prepared speech informing Harbourfront of the disappointment the event brought to many Canadians who stand against apartheid through their support for BDS.
Greater Toronto for BDS will not stand with art washing of Israeli crimes and will continue to resist any opposition to cultural boycotts in the Greater Toronto Area! Please stay tuned for other GTA for BDS actions!
Join the Greater Toronto for BDS (GT4BDS) Facebook group HERE
GTA4BDS is a member of the Canadian BDS Coalition
Campaign of Greater Toronto for BDS (GT4BDS)
With:
Other organizations endorsing the Harbourfront Don’t Play with Apartheid campaign include:
Palestine House- Palestinian Canadian Community Centre
Oakville Palestinian Rights Association
Human Rights 4 All Saskatchewan
Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel (NMJPI)
Canada Palestine Association – Vancouver
PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity)
graphic: Research in Progress, 2012, Don’t Dance With Israeli Apartheid, the Palestine Poster Project Archives
#BoycottLEV
#HarbourfrontDontArtWash