Four people were arrested after protesters used flares to disrupt a concert by the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra in Paris on Thursday night, the latest in a wave of anti-Israel incidents linked to the Gaza conflict, French officials said on Friday.
Activists interrupted the performance three times, clashing with audience members during each incident, France in English reported. The orchestra resumed its performance after each interruption.
The Philharmonie condemned the disruptions and will be filing a formal complaint regarding the incidents.
“Nothing can justify such actions,” it stated. “It is entirely unacceptable to threaten the safety of the public, staff, and artists.”
French ministers condemn the interruptions
"I strongly condemn the actions committed last night during a concert at the Philharmonie de Paris. Nothing can justify them," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on X.
"I thank the personnel from the Paris police who enabled the rapid arrest of several perpetrators of serious disturbances inside the venue and contained the demonstrators outside. Four people have been placed in custody," he added.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said three women and a man were in custody, on charges ranging from violence, destruction, and organizing an unauthorized protest.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati, on X, condemned the disruptions as a violation of the “fundamental rights of our Republic.”
No calls for boycotting the concert
The trade union representing entertainment workers, CGT Spectacle, criticized the concert, claiming it was part of a normalization effort by the Israeli state, but did not call for a boycott.
Dati defended the event and rejected any justification for boycotts. The Philharmonie has a history of hosting both Israeli and Palestinian musicians without political incident until now.
Lahav Shani, who conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance, experienced the effect of the boycott of art recently when his invitation to a Belgian festival was rescinded in September.