Barclays suspends sponsorship of Live Nation music festivals after artists pull out over Israel ties

Barclays on Friday suspended its sponsorship of all Live Nation music festivals in 2024 after several artists dropped out in protest over the bank’s ties to arms companies that work with Israel.

The suspension affects upcoming Live Nation festivals across the UK this summer, including Latitude, Download and the Isle of Wight.

“The protesters want Barclays to de-bank arms companies. We remain committed to this sector as it is essential to the security of this country and our allies,” a bank spokesman told Reuters.

The suspension came after several artists, including country singer CMAT, metal band Ithaca and comedian Joanne McNally, withdrew from the events.

Last month, Barclay’s annual shareholder meeting was disrupted by activists protesting against the bank’s alleged indirect links to violence in Gaza. The bank had said the week before that it does not invest its own money in companies that supply weapons used by Israel in Gaza.