A group called Jewish Artists for Palestine disrupted the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in London, protesting against “Zionist funding, censorship,” and the treatment of Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham.
The interruption occurred Friday night (Saturday AEST) at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall just ten minutes into the concert, which was being broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Protesters shouted: “You silenced Jayson Gillham” and “The MSO is complicit in genocide.”
Outside the venue, activists displayed banners reading “BBC Proms & Melbourne Symphony are complicit in genocide” and circulated a letter online accusing the MSO of “silencing” Gillham after he dedicated a past performance to Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza.
The group further condemned the Gandel Foundation for its funding ties, calling it a long-time supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The performance was paused briefly while the BBC switched to prerecorded music. “Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of everyone attending the Proms,” the broadcaster said in a statement, apologising for the disruption.
On its part, the MSO, currently on a five-city UK tour, did not directly address the protest but issued a statement praising its musicians: “We are proud of their resilience and professionalism in delivering a world-class performance at the Royal Albert Hall.”
The incident has reignited attention on Gillham’s legal dispute with the orchestra, after it cancelled his next performance last year following his pro-Palestinian remarks.
