Adelaide Writers’ Festival faces boycott after author barred
Randa Abdel-Fattah, an academic at Macquarie University and author of 11 novels, was removed from the festival lineup on Dec. 8. Organizers cited her past statements, saying they believed “it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi” beach in Sydney, where 15 people were killed last month.
Abdel-Fattah condemned the decision, labeling it a “blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism and censorship.” She was also the recipient of the Kathleen Mitchell Award in 2008.
The fallout escalated over the weekend, with three board members and the chair resigning following a crisis meeting. Reports indicate that nearly 100 authors canceled scheduled appearances in protest.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also withdrew from the festival on Monday, though she did not provide a reason.
Former Adelaide Writers’ Week director Jo Dyer told reports that the festival had become “untenable.” She highlighted that organizers had received a “significant” community response following Abdel-Fattah’s barring.
“I have heard of nothing, ever in the history of the festival, which has undermined the international standing of the Adelaide Festival as much as the events of the last few days,” Dyer said. She also criticized the decision for constituting an “egregious incursion on the principle of freedom of artistic expression.”
Abdel-Fattah, born in Sydney to a Palestinian father and Egyptian mother, has emerged as the focal point of a debate over censorship and representation at one of Australia’s leading literary events.
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