The Batsheva Dance Company
Photo: Yaron Brener
Palestinian flag outside Palais Garnier opera house in Paris
Palestinian flag waved during Israeli dance show in Paris
Protestors infiltrate opera house in French capital as Batsheva Dance Company performs there, waving Palestinian and Syrian flags. 'We had a good show and it wasn't stopped,' says group's artistic director.
Pro-Palestinian protestors managed to infiltrate the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris on Tuesday evening, where the Batsheva Dance Company
from Israel was performing, and wave Syrian and Palestinian flags.
"There was a loud and noisy protest outside, and we're used to it. We're unmoved," said Batsheva's artistic director, choreographer and dancer Ohad Naharin. "The flags were waved on one of the auditorium's balconies, but we had a good show and it wasn’t stopped. From here, the company is moving on to a two-week tour of southern France."
Some 50 people took part in a noisy protest which was approved by the police outside the auditorium, some wearing shirts calling for a boycott of Israel. Pro-Israel supporters arrived at the area later on and sang Israel's national anthem, 'Hatikva."
Pro-Palestinian protest outside Bat Sheva show in Paris
"In the past few years we have experienced protests calling for a boycott against us - all licensed - in the public domain," added Batsheva's executive director Dina Aldor. "The performance was nothing less than wonderful, in front of a packed auditorium - a great honor, both professionally and artistically, for the dance company."
