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‘Artists will not stand for this’: musicians drop SXSW in support of Palestine

Acts such as Squirrel Flower and Mamalarky have chosen not to perform over festival’s ties to army and weaponry sponsors

Multiple artists have pulled out of their official showcases at this year’s South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in support of Palestine, citing the Austin, Texas event’s ties to defense contractor RTX Corporation, formerly known as Raytheon, and its sponsorship by the US army. The boycott was led by Chicago-based songwriter Ella Williams, AKA Squirrel Flower, who published a statement on her Instagram on 4 March announcing her withdrawal from the official showcase she was set to play at the festival, which begins this weekend. Williams had initially chosen to accept a wristband in lieu of payment, “so my bottom line is not affected at all – which is the irony of the situation.” “I personally feel like withdrawing my art from this festival is an act of saying I will not be involved in any way,” she says.

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