London venue cancels Chasidic singer over ‘security concerns’
Clapham Grand pulls plug on Benny Friedman's January concert
A London venue has cancelled a concert by a Chasidic singer over ‘security concerns’.
Tickets to see Benny Friedman at the Clapham Grand Victorian music hall in south London went on sale on Sunday, only for the venue to cancel the event the next day.
The London date, 6 January, was one of two scheduled in the UK as part of Friedman’s “Am Yisrael Chai” solidarity tour in partnership with ACM Events; the second in Manchester on Tuesday 7 January is still scheduled to proceed as planned.
Months in the making, the tour has seen Friedman play across the world and a stop in the UK has long been sought by his fans.
In a statement, the tour team said: “We are deeply disappointed to announce the temporary cancellation of Benny Friedman’s upcoming London concert. Despite strong ticket sales, the theatre hosting the event has chosen to rescind their agreement due to Benny’s vocal support of Israel.
“This decision is a clear manifestation of the antisemitism that continues to plague our people. It’s sad that in 2024, a Jewish artist would face such discrimination and censorship. We are working diligently to secure a new venue for the concert. We hope to be able to share an update in the coming hours.”
Jewish News has approached the Clapham Grand for comment.
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