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Four detained after flares disrupt Israel Philharmonic concert in Paris
French police detained four individuals on Thursday night after protesters set off flares and caused disruptions during a concert by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the Philharmonie de Paris, officials confirmed Friday. The performance, conducted by Lahav Shani and featuring pianist Sir Andras Schiff, was interrupted three times, with smoke filling the Pierre Boulez auditorium at one point.
Clashes erupt mid-performance
Video footage from inside the venue captured a protester wielding a flare while descending stairs in the seating area, sparking confrontations with spectators. The Philharmonie de Paris stated in a release that the "troublemakers were removed" and the concert, after a brief halt, resumed and concluded without further incident. The venue added it would pursue legal action against those responsible.
According to concertgoers, the auditorium filled with smoke during one of the disruptions, which included two flare deployments. The programme, featuring works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, had already drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian activists and a French performing arts union prior to the event.
Government condemnation and political divide
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the "serious disturbances" and commended police for their swift intervention, while Culture Minister Rachida Dati reaffirmed France's commitment to "freedom of creativity" as a core value. Dati also rejected calls for a cultural boycott, stating there was "no excuse for antisemitism."
In contrast, Manon Aubry, a European Parliament member for the far-left France Unbowed party, declined to condemn the protest on national television. Aubry argued that the orchestra's artists "represent the Israeli state [which] commits war crimes," echoing earlier calls by activists to cancel the performance.
Pre-concert controversy and union stance
Pro-Palestinian groups had urged the Philharmonie de Paris to cancel the concert, framing it as an attempt at "normalisation" by Israel. While the CGT-Spectacle union-representing performing arts workers-stopped short of demanding cancellation, it called on the venue to "remind its audience of the extremely serious accusations" against Israeli leaders.
The Israel Philharmonic's Lahav Shani faced similar backlash in September when the Flanders Festival in Ghent, Belgium, canceled his appearance with the Munich Philharmonic, citing "insufficient clarity" on his stance toward the Israeli government. The decision drew criticism from Belgian and German officials, with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever later attending a Shani-conducted performance in Essen, Germany, as a show of support.
Venue's response and broader implications
The Philharmonie de Paris emphasized in its statement that "regardless of people's opinions, it is utterly unacceptable to threaten the safety of the public, staff, and artists." The incident underscores escalating tensions over cultural events linked to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with French officials balancing free expression against public order concerns.
"Bringing [violence] into a concert hall is extremely serious."
Philharmonie de Paris statement
