This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:
Curve was wrong to let dancers perform
As part of the organising group for Friday's demonstration against Israeli dance company, Batsheva, I would like to ask your readers to consider whether they want our flagship cultural institution Curve to be part of an Israeli government-financed marketing initiative?
Batsheva are clearly part of the Brand Israel campaign which aims to put a pretty face on Israel abroad.
The decision of Curve director, Fiona Allan, to invite Batsheva to Leicester is highly questionable.
Many other theatres of similar standing around the UK did not feel the need to join in.
Our protest was part of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign to pressure Israel and raise awareness of the continuing repression of all aspects of Palestinian life, including cultural and artistic life.
What a shame that Curve does not understand that cultural acts are not neutral; that it missed an opportunity to take a stance against the continuing abuse of Palestinian human rights by Israel; that it didn't have the courage to lead by example.
As Batsheva danced on Friday, Israeli bombs were dropping on Gaza, and they are still. Curve had nothing to lose and everything to gain by helping us stop them.
Jane Foxworthy, member of Leicester Palestine Solidarity Campaign
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