Four people have been detained by French police after protesters set off flares during a concert by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Paris on Thursday night.
Clashes broke out in the auditorium during one of three disruptions to the performance by conductor Lahav Shani and pianist Sir Andras Schiff.
The concert, which featured a program of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, had already been criticized by a French union for the performing arts, and pro-Palestinian activists had called for a boycott.
However, Culture Minister Rachida Dati strongly defended freedom of creativity as a French value, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that nothing could excuse the serious disturbances in the hall.
Ticket-holders attempted to disrupt the concert three times, including twice with a flare, causing the Philharmonie de Paris to release a statement noting that the hall became filled with smoke.
Videos filmed inside the Pierre Boulez auditorium depicted one man brandishing a flare while confronted by spectators, leading to further clashes. The venue later confirmed that the troublemakers were removed and the concert resumed after an interruption.
The disruption incited an angry response from government officials, with Laurent Nuñez praising the police for their swift actions. In contrast, Manon Aubry, a European Parliament member from France Unbowed, refrained from condemning the disturbance, expressing that the orchestra's artists implicate the Israeli state, which she argues commits war crimes.
Prior to the concert, pro-Palestinian activists had campaigned for its cancellation. Although the CGT-Spectacle union did not go that far, it urged the Philharmonie de Paris to highlight serious accusations against Israeli leaders and criticized the concert as an initiative aiming to normalize relations with Israel.
Rachida Dati emphasized that there is no justification for cultural boycotts, stating firmly that antisemitism cannot be excused. The orchestral performance, led by Lahav Shani, was previously influenced by political sentiments, including a notable incident at the Flanders Festival in Belgium.
The Philharmonie de Paris condemned the disruption, stressing the unacceptability of threatening the safety of the public, staff, and artists during a performance.
