Second UK Venue Cancels Screening of Film Honoring Jailed Palestinian Terrorist Marwan Barghouti
by JNS.org
JNS.org – A second London hotel canceled a scheduled screening of a film honoring Palestinian arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, after being informed by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) that hosting the event might violate British law.
Copthorne Tara Hotel backed out of the event, which was to be held on Sunday, after a representative from PMW — an organization monitoring Palestinian incitement — spoke directly with the hotel’s manager and alerted him of the potential ramifications of showing the film.
The Palestinian Mission in the UK had changed the original venue for the screening of the film, “Marwan: A film about the life and struggle of Marwan Barghouti,” to the Copthorne after the May Fair Hotel canceled a screening of the film a few days earlier.
“We were recently approached by the State of Palestine to host a private screening at the May Fair Theatre. As is usual business practice, we reviewed the request and undertook standard due diligence, following which we have decided to not progress this event any further,” said a spokesperson for the Edwardian Hotels London company.
Maurice Hirsch, PMW’s legal director, wrote a letter noting that Barghouti is a convicted terrorist responsible for the murder of five Israelis. The letter also emphasized that holding an event glorifying a terrorist may have “potentially criminal repercussions.” The UK’s Terrorism Act of 2006 prohibits the glorification of acts of terrorism, deeming such activity incitement.