The beloved east London cinema has been accused of breaching Charity Commission rules for standing in solidarity with Palestine
Rio Cinema Dalston is now under investigation by the Charity Commission for cancelling its Eurovision screening party because of the competition’s inclusion of Israel.
In a now-deleted statement on Instagram, Rio Cinema wrote, “Following discussion with the organisers of Eurovision Party London, we have collectively decided not to screen the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest this year while Israel remains in the competition.” They continued, “We will continue to organise fundraising events for the charities we support, including Doctors Without Borders and Medical Aid for Palestine.”
Israel’s ongoing assault on Palestinians in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 32,845 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. As a result of the ongoing violence, Palestinians and those in support of Palestinian liberation have asked for members of the public to boycott Eurovision because, as the group Queers For Palestine asserted in their open letter asking Olly Alexander to pull out from Eurovision, “there can be no party with a state committing apartheid and genocide.”
Rio Cinema listened to the demands of its community and Palestinians, but this has resulted in heavy backlash. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, condemned Rio Cinema, insisting that Eurovision is “non-political” and “not a contest between governments.”
Due to written complaints from politicians and pro-Israel groups, the Charity Commission is launching a “regulatory compliance case” to assess whether there had been “wrongdoing” in the cinema’s decision to boycott Eurovision.
If Rio Cinema is found to have broken any rules, it faces the threat of losing its tax breaks as a charity, and many who love the east London cinema worry that it could result in its closure.
Dazed has contacted Rio Cinema for comment.