A pro-Palestinian group is claiming victory over the cancelation of popular Jewish musician Matisyahu's concert in Chicago.
Matisyahu took to social media on Friday to announce his sold-out show that was supposed to be held at the House of Blues Chicago that night was canceled "due to the threat of protests." The Live Nation ticket event page confirmed the cancelation.
"While the true details surrounding remain opaque, and while the responsible parties all point fingers at one another over the decision; I can assure you there have been no threats of violence received by our security team who have been vigilant in knowing what is happening in each city," Matisyahu wrote.
Matisyahu said the money refunded by the House of Blues Chicago will be donated to Bring Them Home Now for the families of hostages in Gaza in honor of International Women's Day for the women and girls who remain captive, as well as Israel's United Hatzalah emergency medical organization.
"While my fans and I are deeply hurt by this, please know we will not cower to these bullies and the pressure they exert," Matisyahu wrote. "The ramifications of such tactics go beyond me and the Jewish people. These individuals and the organizations that break under their pressure threaten the bedrock of artistic expression, intellectual honesty, and empathy between people with different views and concerns."
"We will continue to play shows. And we will always stand tall against hate and march towards the true goal of a long term peace for all," he added.
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The U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) touted their "Chicago victory" on social media on Friday, writing, "When we organize, we win!"
"Through all our relentless pressure we put on the House of Blues and Live Nation, the concert of the racist, zionist Matisyahu that was supposed to take place tonight was canceled! Chicago has made it clear that it stands with Palestine and supporters of the #GazaGenocide are not welcome here! #ZionismIsRacism," USPCN wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
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USPCN had taken to social media on Thursday calling on its supporters to "Call and email the House of Blues NOW and the rest of the evening to demand they cancel the racist and Zionist Matisyahu’s performance."
According to the flyer, USPCN, the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, SDS Chicago and Anti-War Committee Chicago were set to organize a protest outside the venue.
Neither House of Blues nor Live Nation immediately responded to requests for comment.
Last month, Matisyahu had two other concerts canceled due to similar protest calls blasting the Rialto Theater in Tucson, Ariz., and the Meow Wolf venue in Santa Fe, N.M.
Though the artist claimed the decisions were due to the antisemitic views held by the venues' staff members, both venues insisted they canceled the shows solely due to safety concerns, the New York Post reported.
The Santa Fe venue was the first to cut Matisyahu’s show, doing so only an hour before he was set to go on. According to local news station KOAT 7, "More than 150 staff members are said to have expressed concern over a lack of safety" after several local pro-Palestinian activist groups planned protests outside the concert.
Counter-protesters were set to confront the pro-Palestinian groups outside Meow Wolf as well, prompting the venue to pull the plug.
The Rialto Theater cut the Pennsylvania native's show hours before showtime for the same reasons. In a statement posted to Facebook, the venue’s account said: "We will always prioritize the safety of our employees and our guests. We are in the process of refunding all ticketholders. We apologize for the late notice of cancellation."
