Squirrel Flower, also known as Ella O’Connor Williams, is among those who are pulling out of SXSW festival. She was set to perform at several official showcases at the event in Austin, Texas on March 12 and 14.
Williams will still play at some unofficial showcases that have no ties to SXSW in Austin. On social media, the singer said in a statement: “I have decided to pull out of my official SXSW showcases in protest of SXSW’s ties to the defense industry and in support of the Palestinian people.”
She continued: “There are many ways SXSW is harmful to working musicians, but I am pulling out specifically because of the fact that SXSW is platforming defence contractors including Raytheon subsidiaries as well as the US Army, a main sponsor of the festival.
“Genocide profiteers like Raytheon supply weapons to the IDF, paid for by our taxes,” she continued. “A music festival should not include war profiteers. I refuse to be complicit in this and withdraw my art and labour in protest.”
Other performers who have left include Eliza McLamb and Okay Shalom. They have both shared statements on their social media pages as well with McLamb sharing: “I have pulled out of my official SXSW showcase after learning that the US Army is a major sponsor of the event.”
In the last week, over 60 bands have left SXSW’s official showcase in protest of the festival’s connections to the US Army and the defense industry and support of the Palestinian people.
In addition, Gruff Rhys has left SXSW in protest to the violence inflicted on Gaza’s civilians and elsewhere.
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