The Rio Cinema in Dalston is under investigation by the Charity Commission after its decision last week to cancel its screening of the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation in the competition.
A number of Jewish politicians and organisations wrote to the Charity Commission over concerns that the independent cinema, which is run as a charity organisation, has contravened the Charity Commission’s rules in its decision to cancel the screening.
Conservative MP Michael Ellis wrote one such letter condemning the Rio Cinema for dismissing a “popular international music competition because the only Jewish nation is competing.”
“Regardless of the views of any person, group, corporation or charity trustees on Israel-Gaza, it is incontrovertible that Israeli performers, singers and dancers have nothing to do with the conflict,” Ellis wrote. “This boycott is an expression of prejudice which as far as I am aware has not been applied to other countries during times of conflict.”
