Dozens of speakers and performers are canceling their appearances at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival, in protest of the event’s sponsorship by the U.S. Army amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The U.S. Army is one of six SXSW “super sponsors” for the event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually for a festival of panels, music showcases, film screenings, and exhibitions in Austin, Tx. This year, as many artists continue to boycott the ongoing event, they have been posting statements via social media, explaining their decisions and citing their discontent with the Army sponsorship, as well as SXSW’s partnership with private defense contractor RTX, a known weapons supplier to the Israeli Army.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded to the protest in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying,“We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”
In a series of comments posted to X in response, SXSW said, “We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints. 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.”
“The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives,” the statement continued.
The U.S. military has shown continuous support for Israel since the country launched its Gaza invasion following Hamas’ Oct. 7th attack that killed 1,200 people. Since then, more than 30,000 people have been killed and more than 70,000 have been injured in Gaza, according to figures supplied by the Hamas-run health ministry, and reiterated by the United Nations. The U.S. has provided roughly $3.3 billion a year in annual military aid to Israel, per the Council on Foreign Relations.
“We’re proud to be a sponsor…
