Israeli-organized psychedelic festival in Portugal faces shutdown after BDS campaign

Anta Gathering, a five-day music festival organized by Israelis scheduled to kick off tomorrow in central Portugal, says it is facing being shut down following a campaign by BDS Portugal.

Organizers had expected to receive final approval for the event today, but were instead told by the São Pedro do Sul municipality that there were additional regulations that needed to be fulfilled, including designating a fire-safe zone surrounding the festival site, a festival spokesperson says.

The event is advertised as a “psychedelic journey” on a wooded mountaintop some 30 minutes outside the city.

The producers spoke to the mayor and local politicians to understand the delay, and were told that there had been threats made against the local municipality, according to the festival spokesperson.

The spokesperson adds that organizers are trying to delay the start of the festival in order to receive the necessary permits from local authorities.

According to local media, pro-Palestinian opponents of the festival had pressed local officials to deny granting the festival necessary permits.

BDS Portugal posts on social media that it has also threatened several of the participating artists, causing some to cancel their appearances.

The organization claims online that the festival is being organized by Israeli soldiers who “took part in the genocide.”

Two brothers, Shahar and Dean Bickel, are producing Anta Gathering, and hosting it on land owned by Yotam Ittah, their cousin who built a retreat center in Portugal, the festival spokesperson says.

Shahar Bickel served in reserve duty for two weeks at the start of the war and never left Israel’s borders, while his brother, Dean Bickel, didn’t serve in the army, according to the spokesperson.

“We are people of peace, culture and love, and our sole purpose is to bring people together through music, art and connection,” organizers write in a statement. “Many forces driven by hate and ignorance are trying to prevent this event from happening simply because of where we were born. We are here to make it clear: We are not our country, we are not our government — we are human beings who want to spread a message of connection, peace and love.”