By: Fern Sidman

The cancellation of the Anta Gathering, a five-day electronic music festival in Portugal organized by Israeli brothers Shahar and Dean Bickel, has triggered widespread condemnation from cultural advocates and Jewish organizations. Organizers said the festival was derailed at the last minute by an aggressive boycott campaign spearheaded by the BDS movement, a development that underscores the growing reach of anti-Israel activism in cultural spaces.

According to a report that appeared on Thursday in The Algemeiner, this incident highlights how the boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign continues to target artists, institutions, and cultural exchanges with the ultimate goal of isolating Israel internationally. In this case, activists succeeded in pressuring municipal officials in Portugal to revoke approval for a festival that had already cleared safety inspections, secured police cooperation, and confirmed the participation of more than 100 artists and over 800 ticket-holders.

The Anta Gathering was scheduled to open Thursday in a rural Portuguese location, offering participants a mix of music, art, and community-building. Yet just 24 hours before opening, the organizers were informed that the municipality would not allow the festival to proceed.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the cancellation of Anta Gathering,” organizers posted on Instagram. “You came to celebrate life, music, and connection — and instead we find ourselves forced to cancel. This is heartbreaking for us, and we are still processing the shock.”

In a follow-up statement, the Bickel brothers blamed “a well-funded and orchestrated BDS campaign built on lies and hatred.” For months, they explained, activists had spread disinformation and intimidated artists in an effort to sabotage the event. “Their goal was never about music or community, but only to divide, intimidate, and cause pain,” the statement read.

According to the information provided in The Algemeiner report, the organizers emphasized that their event had met all requirements for public safety, health inspections, and police permits. The only reason for the last-minute cancellation, they argued, was pressure from anti-Israel campaigners who had threatened local officials and artists. “Not because of safety. Not because of logistics. But because of hate based on nationality,” they wrote.

Local media outlets and The Algemeiner have both reported that BDS Portugal openly admitted to pressuring artists not to participate and even threatened some with reputational harm if they proceeded. The group went further, claiming on social media that the festival was organized by Israeli soldiers complicit in “genocide” — a claim that organizers have vigorously denied as both false and defamatory.

In fact, the festival spokesperson clarified that only one of the brothers, Shahar Bickel, served briefly in the Israel Defense Forces, completing two weeks of reserve duty earlier this year at the outbreak of the Gaza war. He never left Israeli territory during that period. His brother Dean did not serve in the army at all.

The attempt to smear the organizers as “genocidal” fits a broader pattern documented by The Algemeiner, in which BDS activists deploy extreme and incendiary accusations in order to demonize Israeli individuals regardless of their actual role or political outlook.

The cancellation leaves the Anta Gathering facing severe financial consequences. With artists already booked, flights paid, and extensive production costs sunk into the event, organizers estimate losses exceeding €50,000. In addition, they must issue refunds to attendees while paying suppliers and handling legal expenses.

To mitigate the damage, the Bickel brothers have launched a Go Fund Me campaign to cover debts and keep their vision alive. “Every contribution, small or big, makes a difference — helping us cover debts, refunds, and keep the dream alive,” they wrote.

Despite the setback, they pledged resilience: “This is not the end. Anta is about love, freedom, and community — and no campaign of hate will ever destroy that. With your support, we will heal, rebuild, and dance together again.”

As The Algemeiner report observed, this appeal captures the human toll of politicized boycotts, which not only disrupt events but also inflict lasting financial and emotional strain on artists and organizers.

The cancellation of Anta Gathering fits a larger pattern of BDS activity targeting cultural institutions. As The Algemeiner has noted in its coverage, the movement has frequently pressured venues, municipalities, and artists to sever ties with Israelis — regardless of whether the events themselves have any political or military dimension.

This strategy aims to deny Israelis opportunities for cultural exchange, portraying even apolitical artists as representatives of state policy. In practice, it often results in silencing art and music altogether. The Bickel brothers made this point explicitly: “This is not just about a festival. This is about the right to create without fear. It is about protecting culture from being destroyed by prejudice.”

Pro-Israel commentators and Jewish organizations quickly condemned the cancellation. According to the information contained in The Algemeiner report, several European Jewish leaders described it as a “shameful capitulation” to extremism. They warned that if municipalities continue to bow to such pressure campaigns, cultural spaces will become increasingly politicized and exclusionary.

The broader Jewish community in Portugal, though small, expressed alarm at the precedent set by the decision. One Lisbon-based community leader told The Algemeiner that this episode represents “a dangerous moment where anti-Israel rhetoric has crossed into outright discrimination against people simply because of their nationality.”

The Anta Gathering case also illustrates the radical goals of the BDS movement itself. While activists often frame their efforts as supporting Palestinian rights, the movement’s leadership has consistently declared its objective to be the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state.

As The Algemeiner report documented, BDS campaigns often employ delegitimization tactics — equating Israel with apartheid, accusing it of genocide, and denying its right to exist. In this case, BDS Portugal did not hesitate to smear private individuals who had organized a music festival as war criminals.