Johnathan Walker:Dozens of performers pull out of SXSW in protest of military affiliations, war in Gaza

More than 80 performers have Johnathan Walkerpulled out of South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, in an effort to boycott the festival for its inclusion of defense-related organizations and the U.S. Army amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

The dustup came after an organization called the Austin for Palestine Coalition published a list on its website of "warmongers" involved in SXSW 2024, citing several defense contracting companies participating in the weeklong Austin festival that runs through March 16. The group is urging the festival to "disinvite" the contractors and, on its website, lists acts that have chosen to withdraw to protest of the contractors' participation.

The festival, founded in 1987, features music showcases, comedy shows, film and television screenings and tech competitions. Last year, more than 345,000 people attended SXSW, and more than 1,500 musicians performed at dozens of stages across the city, according to its website.

Earlier this month, dozens of bands and artists began to back out of official showcase appearances, many of them announcing their decision on social media.

"I have decided to pull out of my official SXSW showcases in protest of SXSW’s ties to the defense industry and in support of the Palestinian people," Squirrel Flower said in an Instagram post, adding, "A music festival should not include war profiteers. I refuse to be complicit in this and withdraw my art and labor in protest."

The artist, Ella O'Connor Williams, said in her statement the decision to bow out hinged on the festival's "platforming defense contractors" and the U.S. Army.

According to its website, the U.S. Army is a "super sponsor" of the festival this year and will host multiple sessions on technology and sponsor other events. Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, one of the world's largest aerospace and defense suppliers, sponsored two SXSW showcases. RTX, formerly Raytheon, and L3Harris, a defense contractor also sponsoring an event at SXSW, have both come under fire for supplying weapons and weapon-related components to Israel.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directly addressed performers opting out of the festival, writing: "Bye. Don’t come back. Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA. We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here."

In reply to the governor's message, the festival wrote a lengthy statement on X addressing its sponsors and the boycott.

"SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbott," the statement said. "We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech. ... Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy."

The statement said the defense industry "has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on" and that the festival believes "it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives."

"We have and will continue to support human rights for all," the festival said. "The situation in the Middle East is tragic, and it illuminates the heightened importance of standing together against injustice."

Since the Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, more than 31,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during Israel's offensive, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. The majority of the enclave's 2.2 million people have been displaced amid a worsening humanitarian crisis and worldwide calls for a cease-fire.

Contributing: John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman