Giller protests sparked a literary movement to end ‘art-washing’ of Israeli crimes

 

Arts organizing helped massively reduce Scotiabank’s investment in Israeli weapons maker. Now, activists are pushing for more

The Giller Prize, Canada’s most prestigious literary award, is generally a decorous and reserved affair. But last year, it was pro-Palestine protesters, not books, that stole the limelight.

Twice, protesters invaded the stage to protest for Palestine: once early on in the evening, holding signs stating “Scotiabank funds genocide,” and then again as the $100,000 award was being presented to author Sarah Bernstein for her novel Study for Obedience.

Rick Mercer, the evening’s usually-amicable host, had grabbed at the protesters’ signs as the tuxedo-clad attendees booed at them. Both times, the protesters were shuttled off the stage, and were later handed over to police to be criminally charged for the interference.

The protest kicked off a demand that has become louder and louder among artists, authors, filmmakers and organizers over the past year: for our cultural institutions to financially detangle themselves from an unfolding genocide.

“It really sparked this moment of creating a crisis within Canlit,” said Jody Chan, an organizer with Canlit Responds, a group that would go on to play a central role in the organizing.  (more...)

Giller protests sparked a literary movement to end ‘art-washing’ of Israeli crimes