Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords war, Amsterdam has emerged as one of the cities where antisemitism has manifested itself most visibly. Now another incident joins this troubling pattern, this time targeting Israeli cultural figures, who have increasingly found themselves unwelcome overseas in the past year.
On Saturday, Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder was scheduled to perform two pre-arranged shows at the "Boom Chicago" venue in Amsterdam. However, the performances were canceled after several antisemitic organizations sent threatening emails to the club management and launched a social media campaign calling for the cancellation of the "ultra-Zionist" artist. The club announced that "due to the climate in Amsterdam and the responses received, we cannot hold the planned shows on January 25."
Sponder shared the incident with his Instagram followers, expressing his surprise at the decision. He noted that immediately after learning of the cancellation, he received an overwhelming wave of support from the Dutch community.
Speaking to Israel Hayom, Sponder and his team discussed their profound disappointment while emphasizing their resolve to continue performing worldwide, refusing to bow to political pressure. "We planned a European tour that began last Wednesday in London, and we were scheduled to perform two shows in Amsterdam on Saturday night. The first show was sold out and the second was close to selling out.
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"Two weeks before, they contacted us about someone who had come to the club, shouting and expressing outrage about a Jewish performer being scheduled to appear. The club management assured us everything was fine, merely suggesting we consider hiring security services. We understood the situation and immediately agreed to the proposal. Subsequently, we held a Zoom meeting with the club's management. They informed us they had received emails and believed this was an organized effort, rather than an isolated individual. A week and a day before the scheduled performance, we received an email stating that due to the atmosphere in the city and after consulting with the police, they had decided to cancel the shows.
"During our conversation with the club owner, he suggested we might be better off finding a 'Jewish venue' and offered to help. They refunded all ticket purchases, and we later discovered they had never actually consulted with the police – we contacted law enforcement ourselves and they had no knowledge of any such incident. Furthermore, we spoke with the mayor, who was equally unaware. She could have assisted with additional police presence, but since it's a private venue, they couldn't be compelled to host the event.
"The Amsterdam community has been incredible, with numerous people reaching out to offer assistance. However, some opportunists attempted to exploit the situation, telling people there was an alternative venue and tickets were available. A fake Instagram page was created, which we've reported to the police."
When asked about compensation for the cancellation, Sponder Sponder explained they received none. "We're proceeding with our next destinations – Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels, Paris – and naturally working to secure a new date in Amsterdam, hopefully soon. Since the cancellation, an amazing group has been trying to help us find another venue, though they've received negative responses from several locations. The antisemitic basis for these refusals is obvious. We won't give up – there will be a show in Amsterdam, even if we have to erect a tent. Currently, no venue is willing to host an Israeli comedian who simply wants to bring joy to people. A comedian, not a politician or military figure."
When asked about how this treatment feels, Sponder responded, "It's both insulting and shocking because this is where it begins. It may seem like just a show, just comedy, but it's glaringly obvious that it's solely because of the comedian's identity. The show is called 'Self Loving Jew' and discusses why we should love ourselves and take pride in our identity as Jews and Israelis. Freedom of expression must be upheld even in the face of disagreement. In April, a Palestinian comedian named Sami Obeid is scheduled to perform at the same club, with material centered entirely on criticizing Israel. That's freedom of expression. As long as he's not inciting hatred, he can perform – but it's unacceptable that he can while we cannot."
