2 weeks ago
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A music venue in London has apologised after antisemitic imagery was allegedly displayed on stage during a Primal Scream gig.
A video appearing to show the Star of David entwined with a swastika appeared to be screened during the Scottish band’s show at the Roundhouse in Camden on Monday.
The graphics were displayed behind the band as they performed their song Swastika Eyes during a one-off gig.
A spokesperson for Roundhouse said they were “appalled that antisemitic imagery was displayed” at the venue, adding that it had been done without their knowledge.
“We deeply regret that these highly offensive images were presented on our stage and unequivocally apologise to anyone who attended the gig, and to the wider Jewish community,” the spokesperson said. “The content, which was used entirely without our knowledge, stands against all of our values.”
The spokesperson added that Roundhouse “absolutely condemns antisemitism in every form”.
They continued: “Acts of hatred, discrimination or prejudice of any kind are entirely unacceptable and have no place in our community or spaces.
“The safety of our staff and gig-going audiences remains of paramount importance to us.
“We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and remain committed to ensuring that our spaces are places where everyone feels secure, respected and valued.”
Primal Scream, founded by frontman Bobby Gillespie in 1982, were performing a 25th anniversary show for their album XTRMNTR.
As the band performed the song, pictures of political figures, including the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the US president, Donald Trump, appeared behind them with an animation of the swastika combined with the Star of David replacing their eyes.
Images of the destruction in Gaza were also shown on screen. The video concluded with the words: “Our government is complicit in genocide.”
The Community Security Trust, which offers security, advice and training to protect British Jews, released a statement saying it had reported the band to police and urged the venue to conduct an “urgent investigation”. A CST spokesperson said: “Entwining a Star of David with a swastika implies that Jews are Nazis and risks encouraging hatred of Jews.
“There needs to be an urgent investigation by the venue and the promoter about how this happened, and we have reported this to the police.”
Alex Hearn, the co-director of Labour Against Antisemitism, told the Mail that combining swastikas with Stars of David was “unambiguously racist”.
He said: “It takes the symbol under which Jews were murdered and uses it to incite more hatred against Jews, casting Jewish symbols as representations of evil itself.
“This isn’t protest art; it’s dehumanising propaganda that has historically preceded violence against Jewish communities.”
Primal Scream and the Metropolitan police have been approached for comment.
