Böhmermann admits unwise planning of concert on October 7
Satirist Jan Böhmermann has admitted that planning a concert by rapper Chefket on October 7 in Berlin was unwise. This date marks the second anniversary of the Hamas terror attack on Israel. The concert was canceled following criticism.
Jan Böhmermann, known from 'ZDF Magazin Royale,' addressed the canceled concert planning during a discussion event with Culture State Minister Wolfram Weimer at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin. 'We should never have planned this event on that day, October 7,' he said. 'It was unwise, and we should have considered the Jewish perspective from the outset.' Böhmermann admitted that the evening was planned with too little awareness of the date's significance.
October 7, 2023, was the day when Hamas terrorists and other Islamist groups carried out a massacre in Israel. Around 1,200 people were killed, and more than 250 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip. This event triggered the Gaza war, which has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths.
Chefket's concert at the HKW was canceled last week amid sharp criticism. Weimer had condemned the event at the federal institution, noting that the rapper wears a T-shirt featuring a motif of the desired State of Palestine without Israel. The federal government considers this motif antisemitic. Weimer urged the HKW director to intervene, who cited Böhmermann's artistic freedom and his clear stance on antisemitism.
Chefket and his management did not respond to inquiries by Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, Böhmermann's exhibition 'Die Möglichkeit der Unvernunft' is running at the HKW until October 19, featuring planned shows, TV recordings, and discussion rounds.