Wire flash
French DJ Barbara Butch concert in Grenoble interrupted by pro-Palestinian activists
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
On July 18, 2026, a concert by French DJ Barbara Butch in Grenoble was interrupted by pro-Palestinian and 'unsubmissive' activists, forcing her to leave the stage after about twenty minutes. The activists targeted Butch for signing a column supporting the controversial Yadan bill against anti-Semitism and for performing at the French embassy in Tel Aviv. A flyer distributed by LFI activists in Isère called her a 'supporter of genocidaires.' The interruption sparked sharp criticism of La France Insoumise (LFI) from across the political spectrum, including the Socialist Party and the National Rally, accusing the movement of ambiguity on anti-Semitism. LFI elected official Allan Brunon expressed pride in the 'peaceful demonstration,' though the city hall reported glass bottles thrown at the stage. CRIF president Yonathan Arfi accused LFI of instrumentalizing the Palestinian cause to hunt Jewish artists. The Yadan bill, which aimed to broaden the offense of apology for terrorism, was withdrawn in April 2026.
Source report
French DJ Barbara Butch at the 20th edition of the Rock en Seine festival in Saint-Cloud, August 25, 2024. ANNA KURTH/AFP
The interruption of a concert by DJ Barbara Butch in Grenoble on Saturday, July 18, by pro-Palestinian and "unsubmissive" activists has drawn sharp criticism from opponents of La France insoumise (LFI). On Monday, the movement led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon faced renewed accusations of ambiguity on the issue of anti-Semitism.
Background of the Controversy
The activists reproach the 45-year-old Jewish artist for signing a column in support of the controversial Yadan bill, which aimed to combat "new forms of anti-Semitism" but was withdrawn on April 16. LFI also criticized the DJ for performing at the French embassy in Tel Aviv on June 12, 2025.
Boycott Campaign
Barbara Butch, a prominent figure in Parisian LGBT+ nightlife, became the target of a boycott call from pro-Palestinian and "unsubmissive" activists in Grenoble, where she was scheduled to perform as part of a city-organized festival.
A flyer calling her a "supporter of genocidaires" was distributed by "unsubmissive" activists from Isère. The flyer depicted Barbara Butch mixing in front of an LGBT+ flag with a Star of David (the flag of the Tel Aviv Pride March in Israel), shown with splashes of blood. The boycott call was not relayed by national figures of La France insoumise.
Read also: DJ Barbara Butch targeted by a boycott call
The Artist's Response
"I signed a column, I shouldn't have done it," Barbara Butch told France 24 in May, recalling that she has been a victim of anti-Semitism since childhood.
The Yadan Bill
The Yadan bill sought to broaden the offense of apology for terrorism. It faced heavy criticism, with opponents citing risks to freedom of expression and a potential dangerous conflation between Jewish French people and Israel.
The Concert Incident
On Saturday evening, after approximately twenty minutes, the city hall decided to suspend the concert "to ensure the safety of the public [and] the teams." Social media videos show individuals waving Palestinian flags, giving the finger, and blowing whistles while the artist was on stage.
"We are extremely proud to have participated in this peaceful demonstration," Allan Brunon, an LFI elected official at Grenoble city hall, told Agence France-Presse (AFP), while denying that any projectiles were thrown at the artist. However, the city hall reported "throwing of glass bottles" and other projectiles "deliberately aimed at the stage" during the DJ's performance.
Political Reactions
According to Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF):
"LFI and these radical pro-Palestinian activists (...) are instrumentalizing the Palestinian cause to terrorize the world of culture and hunt down Jewish artists or those committed against anti-Semitism."
He further accused the movement of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, stating: "Culture is not an end, it is a means. The objective is simple: to subject artists and culture to LFI's political agenda."
Read the meeting with Barbara Butch (2025): Article reserved for subscribers
Source
Politique : Toute l’actualité sur Le Monde.fr.Western
Part of this Story
Pro-Palestinian activists disrupt DJ Barbara Butch concert in Grenoble