Berlin Stops Blocking Artists From Criticizing Israel After Massive Boycott

Berlin’s culture bureau has rescinded a controversial “anti-discrimination” clause that forced arts organizations to limit their criticism of Israel in order to receive funding. 

The decision came following weeks of protest and boycott by local and international artists, who decried the measure as censorship, dropped out from festival lineups, and pledged to not play events in Germany bound by the new rules.

The rule—adapted from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and known as the “IHRA clause”—forced all cultural organizations receiving public funding to accept the organization’s controversial definition of antisemitism, which explicitly forbids any speech that “questions Israel’s right to exist” or criticizes the country’s occupation of Palestinian land. Advocates noted that the ruling conflated criticism of the Israeli occupation with antisemitism, allowing Israel to justify its ongoing war against Gaza, which has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians since the Hamas attack on October 7th, which killed 1,139 Israelis, according to revised death tolls.

The response to the ruling came swiftly as touring DJs and artists signed a pledge agreeing not to perform in Berlin until the restrictions on speech were lifted. Dozens of artists dropped out of upcoming festival lineups in protest, including the music and art festival CTM Vorspiel, and issued statements condemning the IHRA rule. 

On Monday, the architects of the rule in the Berlin Senate announced that it was rescinded with immediate effect, citing concerns about its legality and the outpouring of protest from artists.

“I will continue to work for the non-discriminatory development of Berlin culture. But I have to take seriously the legal and critical voice that saw the introduced clause as a restriction on artistic freedom,” wrote Berlin Senator for Culture Joe Chialo, in a press statement issued regarding the rule’s suspension.

The pressure was especially significant within the electronic music scene, where Berlin has long been regarded as a cultural mecca for techno. One of the groups leading the boycott, Strike Germany, put out a letter signed by over 1,000 artists and cultural workers, who pledged to not accept gigs in Germany that were bound by the IHRA clause.

“This change is the result of actions taken by a large number of people on the ground in Berlin, and around the world,” Strike Germany wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “By adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, the policy would have penalized those who criticize the state of Israel—at a moment when Israel is engaged in a genocidal assault on Palestinians in Gaza.”

Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza has exploded long-simmering tensions in Germany, where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been met with police repression and unconditional support for Israel is official state policy. Organizers and human rights groups have criticized the German government for its financing of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has displaced over 2 million people and destroyed or damaged more than half the buildings in the densely populated Palestinian territory. 

Since October 7th, the Israeli government has cut off Gazans from access to clean water, food, electricity, and internet, and has prevented almost all humanitarian aid and medical supplies from entering the territory. According to the UN’s chief food economist, Palestinians in Gaza currently comprise over 80 percent of people suffering from famine globally. 

Despite their temporary victory over the IHRA, activists said they will continue to push for a ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation. 

“Protesting works, speaking up works,” wrote CCL, a Berlin-based DJ who participated in the strike, in a tweet. “Pls don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”