The discrimination ombudsman reacts to the artistic boycott of Israel at the Bergen Fringe festival

The discrimination ombudsman reacts after the Bergen Fringe Festival dropped artist Ori Lenkinski, who lives in Israel. The festival has been postponed indefinitely.

Ori Lenkinski, who lives in Israel, was originally invited to Bergen in 2023 with the play “Birth Preparation Course”, but could not come.

The invitation remained for 2024, but the board of the Bergen Fringe Festival withdrew the invitation when they found out that she lives in Israel.

– Can appeal the case

The equality and discrimination ombudsman believes that the case concerning the Bergen Fringe Festival and the Israeli artist Ori Lenkinski may be a case to process, and tells NRK that the artist may choose to appeal the case to the Discrimination Board.

– This case raises questions about discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, says specialist director Margrethe Søbstad at the Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman.

– Highlighting a political view, for example on the conflict in Gaza, is of course legal, but this does not provide an exception to the prohibition against discrimination against individuals because of their national origin or connection to certain countries, says Søbstad further.

Postponed indefinitely

On Wednesday, it became known that the board of the festival has decided to postpone the festival indefinitely following the banning of Lenkinski.

“Based on the nature and extent of the case, we are taking the consequences of this, and postponing this year’s festival indefinitely”, they write in an email to NRK.

“Due to Israel’s ongoing hostilities, Bergen Fringe Festival does not wish to program artists supported by the Israeli state for our festival,” they write on their website.

The international festival for the performing arts was to take place on 1 and 2 June. In Bergen.