Adelaide Writers Festival canceled over Palestinian author ban
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- Australia cancels major writers festival after Palestinian author disinvited.
- 180 authors boycott; festival director resigns, citing censorship.
The Adelaide Writers Festival in Australia was canceled after organizers disinvited Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, sparking a boycott by 180 writers. Festival director Louise Adler resigned, saying she could not be part of silencing a writer.
The board claimed the move was to respect sensitivities after last month’s deadly Bondi Beach shooting at a Jewish event. Abdel-Fattah called the action “blatant racism and anti-Palestinian censorship.”
Read more: Australian festival faces mass boycott after dropping Palestinian author
High-profile authors including Zadie Smith, Kathy Lette, and Pulitzer winner Percival Everett withdrew from the festival. The board apologized but said the decision was not about identity.
The South Australian government appointed a new festival board following the controversy.
