Texas Governor Greg Abbott and SXSW have recently exchanged jabs on social media following the withdrawal of up to 60 bands from the Austin-based festival. The bands protested the festival’s sponsorship ties to the U.S. Army and its involvement of defense contractors in some conference programs.
Approximately 80 musicians and panelists withdrew from the festival in Texas. As a result, Governor Greg Abbott explicitly instructed them not to return to his state. Every year, more than 300,000 people go to the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas. This esteemed festival attracts a lot of revenue for the state.
This year, from March 8 to 16, prominent figures like Meghan Markle and Selena Gomez are part of the panelists. SXSW is famous worldwide for music, movies, and technology. It is a big opportunity for new talents to get noticed internationally.
However, the Army sponsors SXSW, and the U.S. government supports Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The U.S. Army is listed as a “Featured Partner” of SXSW and defense companies like RTX, Collins Aerospace, and BAE Systems. Because of this, many artists have boycotted the event, including the entire group from Ireland.
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The area has been in conflict for five months since Hamas, a Palestinian group, attacked Israel. About 1,200 people were killed, and over 200 were kidnapped. Around 100 hostages are still held by Hamas, according to the Associated Press.
In retaliation, Israel launched its biggest airstrikes ever on the Gaza Strip, killing over 31,000 people and displacing millions, as reported by the Associated Press. There were growing calls worldwide for a ceasefire to help Palestinians facing famine and disease get humanitarian aid.
Local advocacy group Austin 4 Palestine called for a boycott of the festival due to its partnership with certain groups. They demanded that the festival disinvite Raytheon, Collins Aerospace, and BAE Systems.
“The boycott of SXSW grows every day. No more war profiteers and warmongers in this city,” the group wrote on Instagram, after reporting 80 artists and panelists had dropped out.
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Their complaint was that the contractors were involved in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict by producing weapons, supplies, and equipment used by the Israeli government against Palestinians.
But it seems Governor Abbott could care less about the boycott. He basically told the musicians, “Bye. Don’t come back,” as posted on his social media. He also pointed out that Austin was still the headquarters for the Army Futures Command.
“San Antonio is Military City USA. We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here,” he wrote. But SXSW didn’t appreciate his interference. They released a statement of their own, starting with, “SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbott.”
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“We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints,” the statement continues. “Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy. We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech.
Across the globe, we are witnessing unspeakable tragedies, the rise of repressive regimes, and the increasing spread of violent conflict. It’s more crucial than ever that we come together to solve these greater humanitarian issues.” The boycott was supported by the United Musicians and Allied Workers organization.
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