Proms disrupted by anti-Israel protesters

The orchestra was due to perform at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Proms, despite calls for a boycott of its performance.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign had urged the BBC to cancel the concert, claiming the orchestra showed “complicity in whitewashing Israel’s persistent violations of international law and human rights”.

Security was stepped up for the performance, but several protesters managed to get inside and stage “repeated” disruptions as Zubin Mehta tried to conduct Bruch’s violin concerto.

We regret that as a result of sustained audience disruption within the concert hall which affected the ability to hear the music, tonight’s Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Prom was taken off air. BBC statement

Around a dozen demonstrators held up Free Palestine banners and tried to drown out the performance by shouting and singing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.

There were three more protests throughout the concert, forcing the BBC to take it off air. Around 30 people were removed by security.

Pro-Israeli groups met Palestinian supporters with their own protest outside the hall.

In a statement, the BBC said: “We regret that as a result of sustained audience disruption within the concert hall which affected the ability to hear the music, tonight’s Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Prom was taken off air.

“The invitation to the orchestra was a purely musical one, offering the opportunity to hear this fine Orchestra in conductor Zubin Mehta’s 75th year, so we are disappointed that BBC Radio 3 audiences were not able to enjoy the full performance.

“BBC Radio 3 broadcast recordings of the same music, however the performance continued in the hall. We will broadcast part of the concert next Wednesday, September 7, at 2.30pm.”