Today's announcement that Barclays/Barclaycard are no longer sponsoring several prominent UK festivals – including Latitude, Download and the Isle of Wight Festival – has been widely welcomed by artists, following a major boycott campaign.

The UK-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign group have urged people to boycott the bank, which they claim "is bankrolling Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians through its financial ties with arms companies that sell weapons to Israel."

The Bands Boycott Barclays group – made up of musicians and music industry professionals – was established in response, to "stand in solidarity with Palestine by boycotting all music festivals partnered with Barclays."

"We welcome the news from Isle of Wight and Latitude festivals regarding sponsorship," The Mary Wallopers wrote online this afternoon. "Since the beginning of the campaign there has been great collective effort from a number of bands, artists and fans to get to this point. We appreciate everyone's patience whilst this was ongoing. Standing together is the best foot forward."

 

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English band Enter Shikari, who are set to play Download Festival tomorrow, stated that, thanks to "collective pressure", "the best outcome for all involved" has been achieved by Barclays pulling out of the festival.

"Big ups Download and Bands Boycott Barclays, who both engaged with us in a calm and considered manner while this was being resolved," the band stated. "This is what we can achieve when we work together instead of dividing ourselves with attempts at moral purity. There are many understandable positions on this, don't be malicious and don't be divided. It does not help the cause.

"We will continue to take our direction from the Palestinian-led BDS campaign, and urge others to do the same," they added.

"Though public support for an Israeli weapons embargo is strong, political will is small. In order to change this we must stand strong together."

Lankum have also welcomed the "great news from Latitude".

Bands Boycott Barclays, meanwhile, have described the news as "a historic victory for the Palestinian-led global BDS movement".

"Musicians have destroyed Barclays’ dual strategy of financing genocide in Palestine while advertising its brand and 'customer perks' at British music festivals," the group wrote on Instagram this afternoon. "This is the power of solidarity, collective action and the dedicated global commitment to do all we can for Palestinian liberation."