Amsterdam's Concertgebouw concert hall has canceled two concerts by the Jerusalem Quartet on May 16 and 18. The venue cited "announced demonstrations" by pro-Palestinian activists and concerns for the "safety of the staff, audience, and musicians" as reasons for the cancellation.
The string quartet was set to perform a set in Amsterdam featuring works by Claude Debussy, Felix Mendelssohn, and Israeli composer Paul Ben-Haim.
"We cannot believe that Concertgebouw has decided to cancel the performance of the Jerusalem Quartet. This decision marks a new turn in cancel culture," representatives of the Dutch Jewish organization CJO, or the Central Jewish Board, said in a statement.
Kyril Zlotnikov, one of the quartet's cellists, said on social media the decision was "capitulation to bullying and terrorism."
In a show of solidarity, colleagues of the Jerusalem Quartet musicians launched an online petition demanding that Concertgebouw reconsider its decision.
"By canceling these concerts, the management of the Concertgebouw placates a vocal minority who advocate for their cause through intimidation and credible threats of disorder and violence. We need not look very far back into European history to see what happens when people acquiesce to the very behaviors that sow their own downfall. Anything less than permitting the Jerusalem Quartet to continue with its planned performances — and to provide them and the audience of the Concertgebouw with protection and support — amounts to pure moral cowardice," British pianist Danny Driver, the petition's author, wrote.
At the moment, the petition has 1,500 supporters.
