Dozens of people gathered along Williston Road in South Burlington Thursday evening to protest tonight’s scheduled performance by an American-Jewish artist. They are the latest group to show up at Matisyahu’s performances, not only calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but demanding the reggae singer’s show at Higher Ground be cancelled. “It is not antisemitic to critique someone who performs for people who are actively committing war crimes,” one protester asserted during the demonstration. Matisyahu is an American-Jewish reggae musician who has publicly supported and performed for the Israel Defense Forces.Thursday’s protest was organized by Jewish Voices for Peace and Vermonters for Palestinian Liberation.Both groups had asked higher ground to cancel the performance, along with more than 85 local musicians and artists who signed a condemnation letter. The letter expressed disappointment in Higher Ground and asked the venue to boycott the show. “If Higher Ground had decided to cancel the show, that would have shown us that higher ground stood with the apartheid-free community’s pledge, with the pledge to be in a community in Burlington to support real peace, real justice,” said Sophie Cassel, a member of Jewish Voices for Peace.Thursday night’s protest followed a similar one held in Portland, Maine, Wednesday night, which called for Matisyahu’s performance there to be canceled.Both shows still went on.Protests in Chicago, Arizona, and New Mexico have led to Matisyahu canceling shows there.After his show was canceled in New Mexico, the musician posted on Instagram, “They do this because they are either antisemitic or have confused their empathy for the Palestinian people with hatred for someone like me who holds empathy for both Israelis and Palestinians.” NBC5 reached out to Higher Ground and Matisyahu, but as of Thursday night, have not heard back from either.
Dozens of people gathered along Williston Road in South Burlington Thursday evening to protest tonight’s scheduled performance by an American-Jewish artist.
They are the latest group to show up at Matisyahu’s performances, not only calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but demanding the reggae singer’s show at Higher Ground be cancelled.
“It is not antisemitic to critique someone who performs for people who are actively committing war crimes,” one protester asserted during the demonstration.
Matisyahu is an American-Jewish reggae musician who has publicly supported and performed for the Israel Defense Forces.
Thursday’s protest was organized by Jewish Voices for Peace and Vermonters for Palestinian Liberation.
Both groups had asked higher ground to cancel the performance, along with more than 85 local musicians and artists who signed a condemnation letter. The letter expressed disappointment in Higher Ground and asked the venue to boycott the show.
“If Higher Ground had decided to cancel the show, that would have shown us that higher ground stood with the apartheid-free community’s pledge, with the pledge to be in a community in Burlington to support real peace, real justice,” said Sophie Cassel, a member of Jewish Voices for Peace.
Thursday night’s protest followed a similar one held in Portland, Maine, Wednesday night, which called for Matisyahu’s performance there to be canceled.
Both shows still went on.
Protests in Chicago, Arizona, and New Mexico have led to Matisyahu canceling shows there.
After his show was canceled in New Mexico, the musician posted on Instagram, “They do this because they are either antisemitic or have confused their empathy for the Palestinian people with hatred for someone like me who holds empathy for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
NBC5 reached out to Higher Ground and Matisyahu, but as of Thursday night, have not heard back from either.
