One of Australia's biggest cultural festivals has been left in disarray after a decision to disinvite a prominent Australian-Palestinian writer, triggering a massive backlash and mass exodus from fellow authors.
The board of the Adelaide Festival last week said Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a vocal critic of Israel, had been removed from its Writers' Week lineup due to sensitivities after the shooting of 15 people – by gunmen allegedly inspired by the Islamic State militant group – at a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach in December.
Though the Adelaide Festival's board said they do not suggest in any way that Abdel-Fattah had any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, they made the decision that it would not be culturally sensitive to include her given her past statements.
She called the decision to exclude her a blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism and censorship and the attempt to link her with the Bondi attack despicable.
In the following days, dozens of other writers scheduled to appear withdrew from the festival. By Tuesday the list had jumped to 180, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, British author Zadie Smith, US-Russian journalist Masha Gessen, beloved Australian writer Helen Garner and British-Australian novelist Kathy Lette. Many publicly criticised the decision as an attack on free speech.
Four members of the eight-member board, including the chair, have now resigned without detailing their reasons. And on Tuesday the director of the Writers' Week - who had invited Abdel-Fattah - stood down too.
Louise Adler, the Jewish daughter of Holocaust survivors, said I cannot be party to silencing writers and that Abdel-Fattah's exclusion weakens freedom of speech and is the harbinger of a less free nation.
Adler says at least 180 writers have now said they will no longer take part in the festival, devastating its programme. Some said that while they did not necessarily agree with Abdel-Fattah, they defended her right to free speech.
Abdel-Fattah's lawyer, Michael Bradley, has sent a letter to the board demanding to know which of her past statements were used to justify last week's decision. Abdel-Fattah had last week asked for an apology and to be reinstated but on Monday she told the ABC she believed the event had gone beyond the point of no return.
The festival has become the center of a heated debate regarding cultural sensitivity, censorship, and the role of the arts in facilitating open conversations about contentious issues. As the situation develops, many are left questioning the future of the festival and the integrity of free expression within Australia.
