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Brits ‘discussed poisoning Israelis’ at Portuguese music festival
Activists also considered defecating in Israelis’ tents and urinating in their food’
June 10, 2025 14:27
Activists also considered defecating in Israelis’ tents and urinating in their food’
June 10, 2025 14:27A disturbing discussion about attacking Israelis attending a music festival in Portugal has come to light, with a British activist suggesting the group could poison revellers from the Jewish state.
The conversations – which included an idea to spike LSD the Israeli partygoers might plan to take with strychnine, a highly toxic substance used to kill birds and rodents – was exposed by a Jewish artist who was added to a WhatsApp group of left-wing activists.
Speaking to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, the artist, who was given the pseudonym “Sarah”, said she watched as the conversation – which was conducted over WhatsApp and phone calls over a period of months – quickly developed from “silly ideas” to something “extremely sinister”.
“Defecating on Israelis tents, urinating in their food, setting their tents on fire, putting bad substances inside other substances they may take [were discussed].
Screenshots from the group chat, which was originally called “Cobra” and later changed to “left wing argument”, include messages from one British activist saying: “Even if the strychnine in the acid is not your taste what is wrong with targeting every Israeli tourist abroad (they have all served in the IOF) [an acronym used by anti-Israel activist standing for Israeli Occupation Force] and making their lives very uncomfortable – using facial recognition to check whether they are on war crimes databases or letting them know that every time they eat that people are spitting and p****ing in their food?”
Later, they added: “The Zionist entity should not be allowed to exist in a civilised world.”
Boom Festival, which will take place from 17 to 24 July in the town of Idanha-a-Nova in Portugal, is particularly popular with Israelis who have just finished their IDF service, with around 4,000 thought to be planning to attend this year.
The festival describes itself as “a transparent and independent cultural project” and has a number of signature mantras, including one on “oneness” that reads: “We celebrate the interconnectedness of all humans and living beings, uniting people and nature as one global family.
"No social identities, no national flags, no divisions – just everyone as One.”
Another mantra on the topic of peace, states: “Boom stands for a culture of peace and non-violence – a sanctuary where harmony thrives, fostering understanding, compassion, and inner serenity.”
Sarah, who has been involved with the festival for more than 25 years, contacted Portuguese police but, on realising that her concerns were not being taken seriously, said she “scrambled” to raise the alarm.
“I just really started to panic because we all saw what happened in Boulder, we all saw what happened in Washington,” she told the JC. “I felt it’s my duty, you are all my brothers and sisters… we have to stick together and look after one another.”
Sarah said she was inundated with messages after exposing the discussions: “I got a lot of very mixed reactions – from my Israeli friends and Israeli festival artists it was very positive, thanking me. But from others it’s been very vitriolic – I’ve been cancelled basically,” she said.
“I haven’t heard from the festival organisers themselves yet… I’m not expecting a positive interaction.”
Boom Festival was contacted for comment. There is no suggestion of any link between the members of the WhatsApp group and the festival organisers.