Primal Scream will no longer use “highly offensive” imagery of Stars of David intertwined with swastikas in their live show, the JC understands.
The Scottish indie band was condemned after the controversial video projection was seen in a performance at the Roundhouse venue in London last December.
It showed a swastika in the centre of a Star of David superimposed over the eyes of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
US President Donald Trump was also shown with the image superimposed over his eyes.
The projection included images of the war in Gaza and the statement: “Our government is complicit in genocide”, an apparent reference to Britain’s supposed support for Israel.
The accompanying song was Swastika Eyes, originally written in 1999 as a critique of American foreign policy.
It was a track on the band’s album XTRMNTR, which was being performed in full by the band at the December concert to mark the 25th anniversary of its release.
Jewish leaders condemned the imagery shortly after the performance last year.
Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) branded the “Nazi swastika” being intertwined with the “Star of David – the pre-eminent symbol of Judaism” as “absolutely sickening and totally inexcusable”.
The Community Security Trust (CST) had said the image “implies that Jews are Nazis and risks encouraging hatred of Jews”.
In the ensuing storm, a spokesperson for the Roundhouse said the venue was appalled by the video and apologised for the “highly offensive” images, adding that the band had acted without its knowledge.
Primal Scream, fronted by singer Bobby Gillespie, last year defended the video in a post on their Instagram account, saying: “The film is a piece of art. It clearly draws from history to question where the actions of current world governments sit in that context.
“It is meant to provoke debate, not hate. In a free, pluralistic and liberal society freedom of expression is a right which we choose to exercise.”
Now it is understood that the controversial imagery will not be appearing on the band’s XTRMNTR tour taking place in September.
A spokesperson for CST said: “We welcome the news that Primal Scream will no longer be using this graphic as part of their concert. Entwining a Star of David with a swastika implies that Jews are Nazis. This is deeply offensive and risks encouraging hatred against Jewish people at a time of rising antisemitism. Removing the image is the right decision.”
A spokesperson for CAA said: “At a time where antisemitism is becoming all too common in our cultural spaces, effort needs to be made to show British Jews that they are welcome. Racism should have no place in the arts, and this step, albeit belated, affirms that.”
Primal Scream will perform the XTRMNTR album in its entirety on their tour in the autumn at venues in their home city of Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Bristol and, finally, at London’s HERE at Outernet. A spokesperson for HERE at Outernet said: “The film will not be played at any of the Primal Scream shows at our venue.”
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