Live Nation cuts Barclays ties after protests against bank's link to Israeli weapons

Several artists had pulled out of events to protest against indirect connection between sponsor and violence in Gaza

A Barclays bank branch damaged by protesters in London as part of a joint protest by Palestine Action and newly-formed climate change group called Shut The System. Bloomberg

Entertainment company Live Nation has severed ties with Barclays, one of its major sponsors. The move comes after a number of artists pulled out of multiple events to protest against the UK bank's links to companies in the defence industry that work with Israel.

The sponsorship suspension includes Live Nation festivals across the UK this summer, including Latitude, Download and the Isle of Wight.

“Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of our festivals,” Live Nation said.

Several artists, including country singer CMAT, metal band Ithaca and comedian Joanne McNally, pulled out of multiple events to protest against Barclays' alleged indirect links to violence in Gaza.

“We have made the decision to pull out of our upcoming shows at Download Festival,” UK thrash metal band Pest Control posted on Instagram earlier in the week.

“This is due to us taking part in the boycott against Barclays Bank, who are Download Festival's payment partner and sponsor. Barclays Bank oversees billions of dollars in investments and loans to companies whose weapons and technology are used in Israel's onslaught against the Palestinian people.

“We will not take part in an event whose sponsor profits from facilitating genocide,” the post said.

British metal core group Ithaca, who were also scheduled to perform at Download, followed suit.

“While we hate letting anyone down, this moment of solidarity sends a powerful message to the organisers about where the younger generation of bands stand,” the group posted on Instagram.

The five-day Download festival, held at Leicestershire in the UK, concludes Sunday.

Last month, Barclay's annual shareholders' meeting was disrupted by activists protesting against its involvement in the war in Gaza. The bank had said the week before that it did not invest its own money in companies that supply weapons used by Israel in Gaza.

Barclays signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Live Nation last year.

“The protesters' agenda is to have Barclays debank defence companies which are a sector we remain committed to as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe,” the bank said.

“The only thing that this small group of activists will achieve is to weaken essential support for cultural events enjoyed by millions.”

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 37,200 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, have been killed by Israeli since war broke out on in October.