A fundraiser for Phoenix Cinema launched to repair damage caused by vandalism by anti-Israel activists has raised more than £14,000.
On Thursday, activists graffitied “Say no to artwashing” in large red lettering on the front of the iconic cinema in East Finchley, north-west London, to protest its decision to screen Supernova – an Israeli documentary about the Hamas massacre of 360 people at the Supernova music festival.
Local father Amir Barkan was inspired by a local WhatsApp group to set up an online page for donations. Supporters had already started donating to the website of the Phoenix Cinema, which has been struggling financially since Covid, however Mr Barkan “felt that these donations should have a clear message from the community to show our support and appreciation to them for not backing down despite the awful vandalism.”
He said, “Seeing the pictures of the cinema triggered very disturbing thoughts as to how our future will look. We are reliving our worst nightmares with the horrible Holocaust stories that are a scar in all our souls. Calling this movie ‘artwashing’ is either ignorance or pure hatred, and an attempt to hide the true horrors of the actions of Hamas.”
