Alfie Templeman is the most recent artist to drop out of The Nice Escape 2024 as a part of a boycott in opposition to occasion sponsor Barclays’ alleged funding of the Israeli army.

The producer and singer-songwriter introduced Tuesday (14 Might) on his social media accounts: “I’m now not acting at The Nice Escape competition this yr because of their ongoing partnership with Barclays, who’re actively funding the Israeli army and due to this fact being complicit in genocide.”

“My morals can’t and won’t align with the amalgamation of leisure and human struggling,” Templeman continued.

“Solidarity to everybody else on the lineup that has dropped out and used their platform to direct consideration to the boycott. I actually hope that collectively our absence from the competition will make different festivals and occasions world wide prioritise being moral when selecting their companions.”

I’m now not acting at The Nice Escape competition this weekend pic.twitter.com/B2f65wvL6j

— Alfie (@alfietempleman) Might 14, 2024

Apart from Templeman, over 100 acts have withdrawn from this yr’s competition – because of be held at numerous venues throughout Brighton from 15-18 Might – in a present of solidarity for Palestine. The most recent names to cancel their upcoming appearances embody Avije, Beetlebug, Bo Milli, BODUR, Bug Enamel, C Turtle, Cryalot, Delilah Bon, Delilah Holliday, Graft, Hold Linton, Jianbo, Kerensa, Lewis G Burton, Message From The Ravens, Pem, Pop Vulture, Projector, Smoke Stuffed Room, Sophia Ryalls, Steven Bamidele, Sunday Membership, The Midway Child and Tony Njoku.

Final month, artists together with Large Assault, Idles and Brian Eno signed an open letter urging the occasion to drop Barclays as a associate. The British financial institution’s alleged funding in firms that provide arms to Israel has been a significant supply of controversy amid the continued Israel-Gaza battle.

In accordance with Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign (PSC), Barclays “holds over £2 billion in shares and supplies £6.1 billion in loans and underwriting to 9 firms whose weapons, parts and army know-how are being utilized by Israel in its assaults on Palestinians”. It continues: “This contains investing £100 million in Basic Dynamics, which produces the gun methods that arm the fighter jets utilized by Israel to bombard Gaza.”

A press release launched by Large Assault stated: “It’s extraordinary to suppose that in 2024 promoters and festivals nonetheless don’t perceive that as artists, our music is on the market however our humanity and morality isn’t.”

“The reality is, whereas the boycott of occasions sponsored by poisonous companies like Barclays is fearless, the motives behind it are completely uncontroversial: everybody can see what’s occurring in Gaza and nobody ought to settle for it.”

“Whether or not it’s apartheid and genocide in Gaza, or the funding of recent fossil gasoline extraction worldwide, Barclays has repeatedly confirmed it’s with out conscience. Barclays due to this fact has no place in any music competition or any cultural occasion. Solidarity with and complete respect to all musicians who’ve taken this stand.”