Australian arts festival decision to bar Palestinian author after Bondi attack spurs boycott |
By Kirsty Needham
SYDNEY, Jan 12 (Reuters) - A top Australian arts festival has seen the withdrawal of dozens of writers in a backlash against its decision to bar an Australian Palestinian author after the Bondi Beach mass shooting, as moves to curb antisemitism spur free speech concerns.
The shooting which killed 15 people at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach on December 14 sparked nationwide calls to tackle antisemitism. Police say the alleged gunmen were inspired by the Islamic State militant group.
The Adelaide Festival board said last Thursday it would disinvite Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from February's Writers Week in the state of South Australia because "it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program........