DJ The Blessed Madonna pulls out of Boardmasters festival after censorship claims

Famous DJ The Blessed Madonna revealed they pulled out of Boardmasters Festival due to the organisation reportedly stopping acts from making any political statements. A few acts, including The Menstrual Cramps, DJ and producer Conducta, and surf brand Yonder, already boycotted the festival following claims the festival's proprietors have ties to Israel.

The American DJ, real name Marea Renee Stamper, took to her Instagram page to share that her team received a notice from the festival at 4 in the morning saying she would be 'subject to a show-stop procedural agreement related to certain political messaging and would be required to to keep political or symbolic elements of my set within the guidances of the festival and government prior to the show.'

In the caption, she wrote: "Any political statements, chants, or gestures will be observed, but the show will only be stopped if there is a legal or safety breach. To be clear I was told, not asked, while on my way to a long confirmed show these restrictions: 'Prior to your performance you will be asked to sign a Show Stop Procedure Acknowledgement, confirming your understanding of these boundaries.'

"'This documentation will be used as evidence if the festival or your performance is called into review.'" It comes after furious Bob Geldof issued a desperate plea on Sky News to save babies in Gaza.

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The DJ continued: "In this email, they framed Palestine Action, an activist group banned in the UK, as equal to murderous terrorists and amongst banned symbols of hate on the same day as Netanyahu has sworn to completely ethnically cleanse Gaza city," before revealing they would no longer perform at the festival.

She explained: "So, it is with deep regret, but moral clarity that I announce I will not be attending or playing Boardmasters festival tonight. This is not the fault of the working class people who run this festival.

"All around the world, people of good conscience are contending with this atrocity as best they can. If you are working for peace, then I know that I have locked arms with you and we are running towards the right side of history together.

"So, if you bought a ticket to Boardmasters to see my set tonight, please feel free to DM me a picture of you holding your ticket and I will make this right with you—with guest list somewhere, or a T-shirt, or something else very special because this is not your fault and I care about your happiness."

Concluding her heartfelt post, she added: "There nothing more that I want to do more than dance with you. Music is the perfect expression of the will of the world. It is through music that I bettered myself and fixed my heart in a million broken places.I listened to my heart to make this decision and it said: I ain’t signing s**t. Free Palestine."

She said the same thing in the video, adding that she 'stands in defence of free speech' and 'dignity of anyone working to stop the explicitly stated genocidal actions being committed in Palestine by the Israeli occupation'.

The Blessed Madonna received praise in the comment section, with many "applauding your integrity and moral standing". Boardmasters confirmed she pulled out of the festival and said: "We can confirm that The Blessed Madonna will no longer be performing at Boardmasters this year. We fully respect and support, without judgement, her decision and hope to welcome her back in the future."

In a statement, they said: "It is standard process to ensure artists understand the safety and show stop procedures we have in place to protect our audience. Our pre-event guidance to artists makes it clear that we respect their right to express their views at Boardmasters and we categorically do not prevent political speech or censor artists. Alongside this, we include information on legally proscribed flags and emblems to ensure performers are fully informed of current UK law."

It comes after Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "intends to" take full control of Gaza. The PM warned this action "will do nothing" to end the war or secure the release of Hamas hostages. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey accused Mr Netanyahu of plotting "ethnic cleansing" and called on Mr Starmer to hit Israel with sanctions.

The Mirror have reached out to Boardmasters for comment.

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