– It is terribly sad that she is not allowed to participate because of threats. We want to be an open festival with room for all voices. That’s what Synnøve Eide, director of the Bergen International Music Festival, says daily. On Wednesday they had to announce that Saturday’s main artist, Moroccan Manal, had cancelled. The reason was that the artist had received threats and no longer felt it was safe to travel to Norway. The threats came after she spoke out about the situation in Gaza on social media, according to her management. 30-year-old Manal has almost 4 million followers on Instagram. There she is said to have posted pro-Palestinian messages, which led to threats. Photo: M.AHMED OUAKHACH Never experienced anything like this The management of Manal wrote in a statement that they are deeply sorry for the cancellations. – Although freedom of expression is the most important of all rights, safety must come first as soon as the artist’s personal integrity is threatened, they write. Manal makes Arabic pop, often with lyrics that liberate women. Her hit Makhelaw magalou has over 11 million plays on Spotify. Eide says that they have organized festivals for over 20 years, but that they have never experienced an artist having to cancel due to threats. – We want to show different musical expressions that you don’t otherwise see in Bergen or Norway and let other voices than we normally hear. That is why this is extra sad, she says. Freedom of expression is limited by Sindre Stranden Tollefsen of Amnesty International Norway says the conflict in Gaza basically has a very high temperature level. – It is sad that we have come to a place where artistic freedom and freedom of expression are being limited, he says. He believes the world needs all voices to shed light on the civilians who are affected by the war. – We see variously that there are threats both against Jewish and Muslim individuals and the environment all over the globe. In some places it degenerates into violence. In Norway, too, we see examples of the situation escalating, says Tollefsen. Sindre Stranden Tollefsen says it is no wonder that people’s mental health is affected by the situation in Gaza. Photo: Kyrre Lien / Kyrre Lien He is still not surprised that people receive threats after speaking out about the conflict. – In recent years, I have investigated threats against a number of vulnerable groups. What happens again is that the amount of incitement and threats increases as the topic is seen on the agenda, he says. On Wednesday, PST came up with a new threat assessment in Norway due to the conflict in the Middle East. There they wrote that it has increased attention to possible Israeli and Jewish targets. At the same time, they have also increased attention to Palestinian and pro-Palestinian events. Artists find it difficult In addition to the concert in Bergen, the artist had to cancel the planned performance at the international music festival Oslo Word this week. Festival manager Alexandra Archetti Stølen says they are taking the situation seriously. – It is sad. When an artist cancels, I know it’s the last thing she wants, but the situation is so tense that she didn’t feel she had a choice, says Stølen. Alexandra Archetti Stølen believes Manal has been brave in his statements, but also in choosing to cancel. Photo: Lars Opstad She says that there are many artists who find it difficult to stand on a stage while the ravages are raging in Gaza. – There are quite a few artists who feel it would be wrong to have concerts when there is a genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip, she says and adds. – I also feel that. It is difficult to organize a festival these days. But we can try to use our platform to create awareness about what is happening now.
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Moroccan superstar cancels concerts in Norway after threats – news Vestland
