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An Israeli-run music festival in Portugal was forced to shut down on its opening day last week after an aggressive Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Initially, the Anta Gathering had secured permits from Portuguese authorities and arranged 24/7 security, including a dedicated police unit. Nevertheless, despite these measures, mounting pressure made the event untenable.
“This decision comes with the heaviest of hearts,” said the Anta team. “We are still processing the shock.”
Organizers Expose Coordinated Disinformation Drive
Specifically, Anta’s founders said BDS activists waged a coordinated campaign of disinformation to destroy their vision. Moreover, they accused the movement of seeking to “divide, intimidate, and cause pain.”
“The damage has been devastating,” they added. “We cannot move forward.”
The abrupt cancellation triggered a severe financial crisis. Organizers had already paid vendors and booked flights. As a result, refunds flooded in. To cope with the fallout, they launched a GoFundMe appeal and urged supporters to consider partial refunds or hold onto tickets in solidarity.
BDS Targets Israeli Organizers by Name
BDS Portugal and allied groups zeroed in on co-organizer Shahar Bickel, citing his Israel Defense Forces reserve service in Sayeret Nahal since October 2023. They circulated his IDF photo and labeled him and his peers complicit in “genocide,” even likening undisclosed service to SS involvement in Nazi atrocities.
Furthermore, activists declared, “Portugal will not accept normalization or free movement of those who participated in colonialism and daily barbarism against Palestinians. They are not welcome.”
Shahar and his brother Dean — both slated to perform as Fat Cat and Bickeloz — became central targets of the campaign.
Organizers Push Back, Defend Their Identity and Mission
Anta forcefully rejected the accusations. “The entire campaign and accusations…are filled with false information,” they said. “We are not soldiers. None of our team has ever been in Gaza or taken part in the killing of human beings.”
Instead, they reaffirmed their mission: culture, unity, and peace. “Many forces driven by hate and ignorance try to prevent this event because of where we were born,” they said. “We are not our country, we are not our government — we are human beings seeking connection.”
Despite these setbacks, the organizers vowed to rebuild. “This is not the end,” they said. “Anta is about love, freedom, and community. No campaign of hate will destroy that. With your support, we will heal, rebuild, and dance together again.”
Contextual Perspectives
This incident follows broader patterns of growing antisemitic threats in Portugal. For example, earlier in 2025, reports detailed sinister plots to poison Israeli festivalgoers and public demonstrations calling for the expulsion of Jews — highlighting a rising trend of violent, overt antisemitism on Portuguese soil.
In addition, Israeli PhD student Bar Harel faced relentless campus hate at the University of Coimbra. His research revealed antisemitic stickers plastered across campus, alongside threats and physical assaults — yet university and government bodies failed to protect him.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
