The GFT’s board had been considering whether to support the BDS and PACBI boycott campaigns
A charity-run cinema in Glasgow is facing heavy criticism following a decision to reject the implementation of a boycott in support of Palestinian rights, which has led to three board members resigning.
On Thursday, the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) announced it will not formally endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement or the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) - two sets of economic and cultural boycott campaigns opposing the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Staff at the venue had shown support for the BDS and PACBI boycotts, with ongoing campaigning from members of Unite Hospitality at the GFT leading to the consideration by the board.
Palestinian rights campaigners from Scotland had also called for the GFT to support both the BDS and PACBI campaigns - including Art Workers for Palestine Scotland, who produced an open letter signed by over 1,700 creatives and Glaswegians calling for the GFT to back both movements.
Three board members, Sarah Wishart, layla-roxanne hill, and Carmen Thompson, announced they would be stepping down from the GFT board following the decision on Thursday.
Writing on social media, the trio said: “Unfortunately, due to the decision making and processes leading up to this evening, we have no choice but to resign from the board of Glasgow Film Theatre, effective immediately. This is a decision which we undertook with great thought, care and consideration.
“We recognised our responsibility as board members, and wished to see issues related to BDS/PACBI through to their conclusion. However, we cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve on the board of the GFT. In addition to our concerns related to governance and decision-making processes, we are also deeply concerned about the attitude the GFT has shown towards our unionised workers.
“We intend to follow this statement with individual written resignations to formally conclude our time on the board."
The move comes amid an ongoing genocide in Gaza, with tens of thousands of Palestinians having been murdered by Israeli soldiers.
The GFT published a full statement following the decision, outlining its reasoning for the move.
They also published a number of actions that will be undertaken as a result, including a review and refresh of ethical policies and practices, and the continuation of work to platform the voices of global filmmakers, including Palestinian artists and others silenced and marginalised through conflict, occupation or discrimination.
A full review of all the products in the cinema’s bar is also currently underway.
They wrote: “The Board of Trustees at Glasgow Film recognise the horrific humanitarian crisis in Gaza and are appalled by the ongoing loss of Palestinian lives. We understand the depth and diversity of feeling within our staff, audiences, and wider communities, and we acknowledge the calls from artists and activists for cultural and consumer boycotts in solidarity with Palestinians. We also recognise the rising levels of anti-semitism, Islamophobia and polarisation in our communities and condemn any kind of racism or discrimination.
“As an independent charity, trustees are legally required to act in the best interests of the charity, and in line with its charitable objects which are, for Glasgow Film, principally to educate the public about film. To meet this obligation, we believe that all decisions, including those relating to ethical purchasing and programming, should be taken independently, and on a case-by-case basis, informed by robust internal policies and processes.
“We want Glasgow Film to have a positive impact locally and globally. Our mission is Cinema For All and we know there is always more that we can do to achieve this.
“Following a period of careful reflection, legal advice, and consultation with staff and community stakeholders, we consider the above approach to be in line with our legal duties as charity trustees and in the best interests of the charity, as opposed to formal and wholesale endorsement of BDS or PACBI.
“We have tried at all times to consider this important issue with the care and integrity it deserves, and we are grateful to everyone who has shared their views with us over the last few months. We remain committed to Cinema For All.”
Art Workers for Palestine Scotland said the GFT’s rejection of both BDS and PACBI would bring “eternal shame” on the cinema and its leadership team.
They wrote in a statement: “It will go down in history that, given the opportunity to stand with the Palestinian people following months of genocide and starvation at the hands of a colonial oppressor, the GFT chose complicity, cowardice and blatant disregard for human life. Eternal shame.
“We extend our solidarity to the Unite Hospitality workers who bravely took a stand for Palestine by refusing to handle Coca-Cola products and successfully caused GFT to remove them from the bar earlier this year. We stand in solidarity with the three board members who have resigned in principle over the handling of today’s disgraceful decision.
“GFT directly benefits in numerous ways from the optics of screening radical anti-colonial films. We refuse to let them disguise their lack of ethics with a progressive veneer. GFT is publicly funded and we, the public, are here to assert that film is political. We will not back down.”
