{"id":52675,"date":"2017-06-02T17:05:13","date_gmt":"2017-06-02T15:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=52675"},"modified":"2017-06-02T07:38:57","modified_gmt":"2017-06-02T05:38:57","slug":"03-05-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=52675","title":{"rendered":"Uproar at Israel Festival opening as culture minister jeered over nudity ban"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Uproar at Israel Festival opening as culture minister jeered over nudity ban<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

JESSICA STEINBERG\u00a0<\/strong>and AFP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Protester strips down to her bra, audience turn their backs as Miri Regev takes to the stage to make opening remarks for top arts event<\/strong><\/p>\n

A woman, center, strips down to her bra in a show of protest to Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev during the opening of the Israeli Film Festival in Jerusalem, June 1, 2017. (Jessica Steinberg\/Times of Israel)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Culture Minister Miri Regev\u2019s threat to pull funding for the Israel Festival if the annual event continues to invite acts featuring nudity did not go over well with the audience \u2014 in fact, it was met with naked opposition on Thursday night.<\/span>
\n The controversial minister was subjected to sustained booing, a crowd that turned its back on her and, at least one protester stripping to her underwear, as she tried to give her opening remarks at Israel\u2019s premier annual arts event<\/span>
\n \u201cIt\u2019s destructive and harmful,\u201d she said over boos from the crowd that continued unabated for some ten minutes. \u201cI never said I\u2019d cancel it, but I won\u2019t finance it. I will not support nude shows<\/em>.\u201d <\/span>As Regev appeared on stage, many of the concert goers seated at the Sultan\u2019s Pool in Jerusalem, awaiting a night of live Israeli music, stood and turned their backs on her. Others jeered and whistled.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s your right,<\/em>\u201d said Regev, \u201cthis is a democracy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Members of the audience turn their backs in protest to Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev during the opening of the Israel Festival, Jerusalem, June 1, 2017. (Times of Israel\/Jessica Steinberg)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

One woman stripped down to her bra in protest at the minister\u2019s anti-nudity stance. Another yelled at Regev that the ballgown she wore to the Cannes Film Festival, featuring iconic images from Jerusalem in honor of the city\u2019s 50th reunification anniversary, was \u201cugly<\/em>.\u201d <\/span>As the crowed continued to boo the minister, she vowed that \u201cI won\u2019t leave this stage until after I\u2019ve finished what I have to say<\/em>,\u201d and declared that her vocal opponents were delaying their show by booing her speech. <\/span>Israel Festival director Eyal Sher had asked the crowd ahead of time to tone down its response, reminding everyone \u201cthat this is a cultural event; calm down, everyone<\/em>.\u201d <\/span>He came out again during Regev\u2019s speech to ask the crowd to settle down. <\/span>Regev sparked the row when she said earlier this week that her office would not subsidize shows \u201charmful to the basic values of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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