Joey Thompson is ushered off the stage after protesting at the ban on discussing the war in Gaza during the
Phillip Island Festival of Stories.
By Travis Thompson
THE Phillip Island Festival of Stories took place in Cowes over the weekend of August 2-4. The event website described it as “celebrating story-telling in all its forms” and yet on the ticketing website a notice was given that “The Committee of the Island Story Gatherers requests that there will be no discussions or opinions expressed on the situation in Gaza during the event.”
While many may find it reasonable to suggest that topics which illicit strong, diverging opinions might be best avoided, this approach serves to silence some of the most important story-telling happening in the world right now – quite contrary to the purpose of the event.
THE Phillip Island Festival of Stories took place in Cowes over the weekend of August 2-4. The event website described it as “celebrating story-telling in all its forms” and yet on the ticketing website a notice was given that “The Committee of the Island Story Gatherers requests that there will be no discussions or opinions expressed on the situation in Gaza during the event.”
While many may find it reasonable to suggest that topics which illicit strong, diverging opinions might be best avoided, this approach serves to silence some of the most important story-telling happening in the world right now – quite contrary to the purpose of the event.
There are millions suffering, tens of thousands dead and, according to some experts, probably hundreds of thousands who are likely to die in Gaza due to the military incursion by the Israeli forces, aided by many imperialist countries. This includes the Australian government, which has this year signed a military contract worth nearly $1 billion with an Israeli weapons manufacturer.
Upon learning about the prohibition, local year 11 student Joey Thompson took it upon himself to express his disappointment to the audience at the festival. Finding that entry to the festival was as easy as walking through the door, he walked immediately up to the stage, causing the audience to gasp audibly. He spent just short of two minutes on stage giving examples of stories from Gaza that deserve to be told and which the festival was actively ignoring, before being ushered off the stage and out of the theatre by festival staff.
A reporter from the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser was present, filmed Joey and came out as he left to ask him why he chose to do this. The disruption was covered in the following edition of the paper but, despite Joey explaining very clearly about the prohibition of discussion on Gaza on the website, the newspaper neglected to mention this. The article did, however, associate him with a local group who have been meeting regularly to express solidarity with those in Gaza despite Joey not mentioning this at all.
The violence occurring in Gaza is bad enough, with many around the world working hard to bring it to an end. For those of us living comfortable lives in “The Lucky Country” to have conferences about story telling and not only ignore but prohibit discussion of one of the greatest atrocities going on in the world right now is unconscionable. It shouldn’t happen anywhere, much less here.
Travis Thompson is Joey Thompson’s father.
A reporter from the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser was present, filmed Joey and came out as he left to ask him why he chose to do this. The disruption was covered in the following edition of the paper but, despite Joey explaining very clearly about the prohibition of discussion on Gaza on the website, the newspaper neglected to mention this. The article did, however, associate him with a local group who have been meeting regularly to express solidarity with those in Gaza despite Joey not mentioning this at all.
The violence occurring in Gaza is bad enough, with many around the world working hard to bring it to an end. For those of us living comfortable lives in “The Lucky Country” to have conferences about story telling and not only ignore but prohibit discussion of one of the greatest atrocities going on in the world right now is unconscionable. It shouldn’t happen anywhere, much less here.
Travis Thompson is Joey Thompson’s father.
Response from festival president
The president of the Festival of Stories organising committee, Lois Gaskin, said that in retrospect it could have been an error of judgement to request no discussion of Gaza. “If we hadn’t raised it probably nothing would have happened.”
But she said organisers were conscious of conflict surrounding this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival and other events related to the war in Gaza.
“It is important to us that one of our founding policies is to provide a safe environment for presenters, committee. volunteers,venue staff and attendees.
“If you started a discussion it could have gone on all weekend with no resolution. I hope in a few years’ time there can be discussion around this but at the moment it is too raw, too emotional. There are innocent people on both sides who can be hurt by people making statements.”
Ms Gaskin said the young man came onto the stage, made his statement - with no personal attacks - and left when he was requested to.
The president of the Festival of Stories organising committee, Lois Gaskin, said that in retrospect it could have been an error of judgement to request no discussion of Gaza. “If we hadn’t raised it probably nothing would have happened.”
But she said organisers were conscious of conflict surrounding this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival and other events related to the war in Gaza.
“It is important to us that one of our founding policies is to provide a safe environment for presenters, committee. volunteers,venue staff and attendees.
“If you started a discussion it could have gone on all weekend with no resolution. I hope in a few years’ time there can be discussion around this but at the moment it is too raw, too emotional. There are innocent people on both sides who can be hurt by people making statements.”
Ms Gaskin said the young man came onto the stage, made his statement - with no personal attacks - and left when he was requested to.