- Welsh artist Charlotte Church has appeared at events calling for Gaza ceasefire
- My safety and the safety of my family has been threatened by some pretty scary people’
LONDON: Well known Welsh singer, Charlotte Church, who has been active in pro-Palestine events in the UK, recently received a visit from the police following online threats directed at her family, as reported by The Independent on Tuesday.
Church has been involved in significant campaigns advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, including a recent Sing for Palestine fundraising event.
The 38-year-old artist has refuted claims of antisemitism linked to her performance of a song titled “From the River to the Sea.” In a statement, she expressed her deep respect for Jewish people, Judaism, and Jewish culture, which she has held since her travels in Israel and Palestine during her teenage years.
Following her participation in a London protest last Saturday, Church revealed that her family had been threatened by some intimidating individuals. This online harassment has necessitated police intervention to ensure the safety of Church and her family.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a UK-based NGO, has spearheaded the antisemitism allegations against Church and has urged the Charity Commission to probe her activities.
Church stated that this campaign has led to her being subjected to inventive and violent hate, and being branded a “traitor.”
In a statement on her website, Church shared: “The threats to my safety have led to police visits for our protection. My family’s safety and mine have been jeopardized by some rather frightening individuals, who have been emboldened by the rhetoric of prominent politicians and the irresponsibly sensational coverage by liberal legacy media outlets.”
She further clarified that her performance of “From the River to the Sea” was intended to fundraise for a new ambulance for Al-Awda hospital in Gaza.
Church firmly denied that the slogan represented any form of call for the ethnic cleansing or genocide of Israelis.
She asserted: “A call for the liberation of one group does not imply the destruction of another, and those who suggest otherwise, especially when the first group is currently being killed in large numbers, are exploiting a grotesque irony.
“I refuse to let my discourse on resistance and solidarity be redefined by those who most vehemently oppose my democratic engagement.”
