London’s oldest cinema has been targeted by anti-Israel protesters ahead of a private screening of a documentary on the October 7 massacre at the Supernova music festival.
“Say no to artwashing” in large red lettering was found graffitied across the front of the much-loved Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley, north London, this morning. The iconic signage had also been splattered with red paint.
By 9am, cleaners from Barnet Council were removing the paint but said that they did not have the correct products to clean the sign.
Odelia Haroush, one of the founders and the CEO of the Seret Israeli film festival, which is hosting tonight’s screening of Supernova – the Music Festival Massacre, told the JC: “What they have written is awful, and it’s so not true. On the contrary to artwashing, we are showing what really happened on October 7. We are showing a documentary film. The world should know about the horrors.
Haroush added: “I’m totally against cancelling culture. If the other side has something to say, they can make a film and screen it.”
On October 7, Hamas terrorists murdered over 360 people at the Supernova music festival near the Gaza border and took over 40 festival-goers hostage.
Outside the cinema, passers-by, both Jewish and non-Jewish, stopped to take photos, voicing their shock at the graffiti.
Local resident Jules Goldberg said: “It’s a very violent act for people who claim to oppose violence.”
Another Jewish local, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “It’s horrific. It feels very much on my doorstep. My kids go to school in Hampstead, and I saw protests outside the Everyman cinema at the weekend, so it just feels like it is everywhere – home, school, life, in town. London just doesn’t feel like the place it should be.”
Phoenix manager Ewelina Sadlowska said: “I love this building, I love the cinema, so I almost cried, especially at this time, when we are really struggling, and we look after the cinema the best we can.
“The statement itself is a bit concerning to us because we are trying our best to stay neutral and just be a cultural venue and not a political venue. I’m really upset about the damage and what it does to the community.”
Protests and counter-protests are expected to take place outside the cinema before this evening’s screening.
A spokesperson for UJIA, which is co-hosting the screening, told the JC: “We are proud of our partnership with Seret Film Festival and the Phoenix Cinema, who are as determined as we are to ensure that tonight’s screening of ‘Supernova – The Music Festival Massacre’ goes ahead. This is despite attempts from people who would prefer to whitewash the events depicted in the documentary, and to intimidate those brave enough to bear witness to such horrific atrocities.
“We thank the CST [Community Security Trust] and the Metropolitan Police for their work to ensure tonight’s event goes ahead without disruption.”
CST tweeted that they were “appalled by the disgraceful graffiti” on the cinema and that they were “proud” to be working with the police “to secure the counter-protest this evening”.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “People protesting against a documentary about the antisemitic slaughter of over 300 innocent partygoers by a genocidal terrorist group are sick. They cannot stand the notion that Jewish victims might be memorialised by anyone, a sentiment just one conceptual step away from denying that the massacre took place at all at the hands of Hamas.
“This is just the latest effect of months and months of failed policing. Jewish people in a Jewish neighbourhood cannot screen and watch a documentary about the murder of Jewish people in peace. It is shameful.”
Sarah Sackman, Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green, wrote on X/Twitter: “I’m not going to dignify the criminals who did this damage by reposting the image of their disgusting action. This community cinema in a diverse neighbourhood is screening a documentary about the 7 October pogrom. The cinema should screen it.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said that the graffiti was being investigated “as a potential hate crime”, but that no arrests had been made.
They added that officers would at the protests “to make sure those attending can protest safely whilst at the same time minimising serious disruption to the community”.