A Vancouver councillor is speaking out after a festival decided to cancel an Israeli play.
The conversation that has sparked online stems from the Push Festival’s decision to cancel an Israeli play called The Runner because of the concerns about it from an artist who has created a Palestinian installation that will be presented at the festival called Dear Laila.
The Runner was created by a Canadian named Christopher Morris.
The Push Festival has put out a statement about its decision, and there has been a lot of conversation about the move on X.
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ABC Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung said she would not attend the festival over the decision.
“What’s next — removing books from library shelves?” she asked rhetorically.
The irony of and my understanding is, that the cancelled acclaimed Canadian production ‘The Runner’ takes a critical view with a storyline that centers on the angst an Othodox Jew volunteer feels making a choice to treat a young Palestinian woman vs his job securing remains.
— Sarah Kirby-Yung 楊瑞蘭 (@sarahkirby_yung) January 12, 2024
Notable Vancouver Jewish Leader Ezra S. Shanken echoed Kirby-Yung’s views about the Vancouver festival’s decision to cancel the Israeli play.
I will be joining my friend @sarahkirby_yung in sending a message to @PuShFestival. I had bought tickets to #TheRunner as had many I know because in times of pain & challenge the arts provide a safe space for stories that need to be told both #Palestinian & #Israeli.#Vanpoli https://t.co/rmSYQVRWLe pic.twitter.com/lkZbNFuUd2
— Ezra S. Shanken (@eshanken) January 12, 2024
Many have called out Kirby-Yung for being biased.
when you covered city hall in the israeli flag did you also do it for the palestinian flag?
— Alasdair (@keepfishing) January 12, 2024
I’ll remember this decision when I vote in the next election. This is cowardice, supporting a country that is a current victim of ongoing genocide should not be a controversial decision.
— G (@NairbD3) January 12, 2024
Others spoke about recent moves by her party.
Go back to stealing tents from homeless people during this bitter cold snap.
— Martin Kendell 🇵🇸 (@burnabymartin) January 12, 2024
According to the statement from organizers of the Vancouver art festival, concerns about the Israeli play by Palestinian artist Basel Zaraa had to do with how it depicted Palestinians.
“Dear Laila is an installation I created for my young daughter, which tells the story of our family’s ongoing trauma and struggle as Palestinians exiled by Israel, starting with the massacre in our village of Tantura in Palestine in 1948,” they said.
“I cannot agree for Dear Laila to be shown alongside The Runner, a play which reinforces dehumanizing narratives about Palestinians.”
He went on to say, “Palestinians appear in The Runner almost exclusively as perpetrators of violence. While the Israeli characters are vividly portrayed, the Palestinian characters don’t even have names and barely speak.”
Local bookstore Massy Books also chimed in on Kirby-Yung’s post among many publicly supporting Push Festival’s decision.
As a bookstore owner, and someone who is mostly anti-book banning, this is not the same thing. We are watching the genocide of Palestinian people happen in real time and you’re complaining about the right for Israel to speak to their “experience”?
— MassyBooks (@MassyBooks) January 12, 2024
Good job @PuShFestival
— AmandaElbe 🇵🇸 (@Amandaelbe) January 12, 2024
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