Censorship & silencing

Public figures warn against ‘unjust’ terror sentences for Israeli arms site action
June 9, 2026June 9, 2026

Sally Rooney, Greta Thunberg, Steve Coogan, and Lord John Hendy KC are among around 100 public figures warning of a miscarriage of justice if four human rights defenders receive unprecedented terrorism sentences for taking action against an Israeli arms manufacturer.

In an open letter (published below) signatories urged Judge Jeremy Johnson to drop use of a ‘terrorism connection’ in Friday’s sentencing of Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani – part of a group of activists known as the Filton 25.

Read More Public figures warn against ‘unjust’ terror sentences for Israeli arms site action
Calls to end Israeli impunity will continue to grow across the arts sector
May 14, 2026May 26, 2026

Last week, a deeply unpopular Keir Starmer suggested that cultural organizations funded by Arts Council of England (ACE) are “platforming antisemitic projects”. The claim is wholly unsupported by evidence. It is an attack on our sector and on the many arts workers who have taken a principled stance against Israel’s horrific and ongoing violence against…

Read More Calls to end Israeli impunity will continue to grow across the arts sector
How to Take Action for Palestine as a Charity
January 30, 2026May 20, 2026

A guide: How to take action for Palestine as an arts charity

It’s a myth that registered charities in the UK are prohibited from undertaking work that is political.

Find out more 👇🏽

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Paul Weller, Tilda Swinton: stop the proscription of Palestine Action
June 30, 2025April 13, 2026

Today, leading artists including musicians Paul Weller, Massive Attack’s Robert del Naja, Brian Eno and US artist Reggie Watts have joined Nadine Shah in calling for the ban to be dropped and for the government to stop supplying arms to Israel.

Actors Tilda Swinton, Steve Coogan and Billy Howle are among those signing the statement saying “Palestine Action is intervening to stop a genocide. It is acting to save life.”

Read More Paul Weller, Tilda Swinton: stop the proscription of Palestine Action
Royal Television Society U-Turns on Special Award for Palestinian Journalists
March 14, 2025April 13, 2026

In response to a statement by the Royal Television Society (copied below), UK Screen Industry has said: “We welcome the Royal Television Society’s U-turn in reinstating the Special Award for the courageous Palestinian journalists of Gaza. However, the charity’s statement does little to address or allay our concerns.

Read More Royal Television Society U-Turns on Special Award for Palestinian Journalists
Leading Broadcasters Demand Reinstatement of Special Award Recognising Gaza Journalists
March 12, 2025April 30, 2026

Broadcasters Jonathan Dimbleby, Lindsey Hilsum, Sangita Myska, Matt Frei, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Alex Crawford, Fergal Keane and Orla Guerin are among more than 400 TV and journalism professionals who have sent a letter to the leadership of the Royal Television Society (RTS) demanding transparency around its decision-making after the charity abruptly cancelled its Special Award for journalists in Gaza last week.

Read More Leading Broadcasters Demand Reinstatement of Special Award Recognising Gaza Journalists
BBC bosses ‘throwing Palestinian children under a bus’
March 4, 2025April 30, 2026

“We welcome Tim Davie saying an independent review of the BBC’s Middle East coverage is appropriate and urge that this accounts for its abject failure to stand by the Palestinian voices it features. We all know Israeli guests would never be treated this way.”

Read More BBC bosses ‘throwing Palestinian children under a bus’
TV industry urges MPs to press BBC execs over Gaza documentary removal
March 3, 2025April 30, 2026

UK TV and film programme-makers have urged a panel of MPs to press BBC executives on Tuesday over the controversial removal of a documentary about children in Gaza.

Read More TV industry urges MPs to press BBC execs over Gaza documentary removal
Our response to the BBC’s shameful statement on ‘Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone’
February 28, 2025April 30, 2026

Following Thursday’s BBC board meeting and statement on ‘Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone’, Artists for Palestine UK said: “We are appalled that the BBC has chosen to give credence to a politicised campaign that sought to discredit a documentary about children’s experiences of unspeakable Israeli military violence, because one child’s father was deputy agriculture minister in Gaza. This disgraceful decision comes despite nearly 900 media figures having warned the BBC of the dangers of such an approach.

Read More Our response to the BBC’s shameful statement on ‘Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone’
1,000+ programme-makers condemn censorship and racism after BBC pulls Gaza documentary
February 26, 2025May 23, 2026

Gary Lineker, Brian Cox, Sangita Myska, Nish Kumar, Khalid Abdalla, Anita Rani, and Miriam Margolyes have joined over 1,000 film, TV, and media workers in condemning censorship and racism after the BBC pulled a documentary about children’s lives in Gaza.

The media professionals, including sixteen BBC staff, sent a letter to the broadcaster’s director-general Tim Davie, chair of the board Samir Shah, chief content officer Charlotte Moore, and head of news and current affairs Deborah Turness on Wednesday. The letter condemned a “racist” and “dehumanising” campaign targeting the film Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, which the BBC removed from its iPlayer streaming service after pressure from supporters of Israel.

Read More 1,000+ programme-makers condemn censorship and racism after BBC pulls Gaza documentary
Leading artists condemn campaign against ‘Let it be a Tale’ theatre production
December 18, 2024April 30, 2026

Leading artists, including writer Michael Rosen, actors Billy Howle and Khalid Abdalla, playwrights Caryl Churchill and Tanika Gupta and composer Orlando Gough, have spoken out against attempts to damage the reputation and stifle the work of Brighton’s ThirdSpace theatre company.

Read More Leading artists condemn campaign against ‘Let it be a Tale’ theatre production
Leading Arts Figures Condemn Anti-Trans and Anti-Palestinian Censorship at Royal Exchange Theatre
September 26, 2024May 3, 2026

Kingsley Ben-Adir, Khalid Abdalla, Pooja Ghai and April De Angelis are among 200+ arts and theatre figures who have signed an open letter to Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre condemning the theatre for censoring references to Palestinian and trans liberation in a recently commissioned work.

Read More Leading Arts Figures Condemn Anti-Trans and Anti-Palestinian Censorship at Royal Exchange Theatre
Hundreds of Artists Condemn the Royal Academy of Arts’ Anti-Palestinian Censorship
July 29, 2024May 24, 2026

Royal Academicians Jock McFadyen, Rana Begum, Vanessa Jackson, Tim Shaw, David Nash, Helen Sear, David Mach and Goshka Macuga are among hundreds of arts professionals condemning the Royal Academy of Arts’ anti-Palestinian censorship after it removed two artworks from its Young Artists’ Summer Show. In an open letter published today by Artists for Palestine UK, the…

Read More Hundreds of Artists Condemn the Royal Academy of Arts’ Anti-Palestinian Censorship
Boycott called off as Bristol’s Arnolfini apologises for anti-Palestinian censorship
May 3, 2024May 3, 2026

The boycott of an iconic British arts venue has ended after it apologised for its anti-Palestinian censorship. The Arnolfini in Bristol said it was “truly sorry” for cancelling film and poetry events curated by Bristol Palestine Film Festival in November last year, and committed platforming Palestinian voices.

Read More Boycott called off as Bristol’s Arnolfini apologises for anti-Palestinian censorship
Leading artists disengage from British venue that censored Palestine
December 12, 2023May 19, 2026

Portishead’s Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley, Massive Attack’s Robert del Naja, writers Alice Oswald, Nikesh Shukla, Shon Faye, Travis Alabanza and Rachel Holmes are among many of Bristol’s artists who have written a letter accusing the iconic Arnolfini International Centre for Contemporary Arts of “censorship of Palestinian culture”.

Read More Leading artists disengage from British venue that censored Palestine
Olivia Colman among 1000+ artists accusing art institutions of censorship on Palestine
November 30, 2023May 3, 2026

More than 1,300 artists, including Academy Award winning Olivia Colman, Olivier Award winners Harriet Walter and Juliet Stevenson, BAFTA winners Aimee Lou Wood and Siobhán McSweeney, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Susanne Wokoma (Enola Holmes), Youseff Kerkour (Napoleon), Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls, Bridgerton) and Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Loki), have launched a letter addressed to the arts and culture sector, that accuses cultural institutions across Western countries of:

“repressing, silencing and stigmatising Palestinian voices and perspectives”.

Read More Olivia Colman among 1000+ artists accusing art institutions of censorship on Palestine
On Speaking and Silence: the New McCarthyism
October 29, 2023May 3, 2026

Israel and its allies are trying to build a wall of silence around their devastation of Gaza. Around the world, those who seek to break through it are having to contend with an extraordinary and shameful campaign of pressure and threats. No-one who speaks out, from the UN Secretary-General to a London tube-driver, is exempt. Yet the breakthrough has happened.

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The Barbican, Censorship, and Anti-Palestinian Racism
June 16, 2023May 3, 2026

Artists for Palestine UK is shocked at reports that the Barbican told a Palestinian artist to avoid talking about freedom for Palestinians. Having welcomed a co-founder of Palestinian station Radio Alhara to give a talk on “the radical nature of radio”, the Barbican reportedly instructed him to “safeguard the audience” by keeping his comments about…

Read More The Barbican, Censorship, and Anti-Palestinian Racism
Leading lights of British theatre accuse European Drama Prize of modern-day McCarthyism
November 17, 2022May 3, 2026

More than 180 actors, writers and producers have accused the jury of the 2022 European Drama Prize in Germany of “modern-day McCarthyism”, after it withdrew a Lifetime Achievement Award from renowned British playwright Caryl Churchill over her support for Palestinian rights.

Read More Leading lights of British theatre accuse European Drama Prize of modern-day McCarthyism
Campaign to silence rapper and campaigner Lowkey reaches new low
August 26, 2022May 3, 2026

The Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, a trade union-organised ‘celebration of solidarity’, disinvited the pro-Palestinian artist following behind-the-scenes pressure.

Read More Campaign to silence rapper and campaigner Lowkey reaches new low