A comedian banned from a London theatre after Jewish audience members were reportedly “subjected to verbal abuse” has had his Glasgow Comedy Festival show placed “under review".
Paul Currie is due to perform Shtoom at the Stand Comedy Club on March 15.
However, according to LBC, the venue is now considering their options following an incident at the Soho Theatre on Saturday night.
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According to the comedy industry website, Chortle, Mr Currie displayed a Palestinian flag and Ukrainian flag during the show and then at the end of the night orchestrated his own standing ovation.
He then asked one man who remained in his seat why he didn’t stand, saying: "Didn’t you enjoy my show?"
The audience member, 33-year-old software engineer Liahav Eitan, replied: “I enjoyed your show until you brought out the Palestinian flag.”
That reportedly led to Mr Currie aggressively asking the man to leave and encouraging audience members to shout “Get out".
Mr Eitan and others then left the theatre. They later told the media that the comic made them feel unsafe.
He told MailOnline that after he told Mr Currie he objected to the Palestinian flag, the comic ‘started screaming, "I’m from Belfast. I know everything about ceasefires. Ceasefire now, get the f*** out of my theatre. Get out, get the f*** out of my show, motherf*****s’."
He said he and his friends felt “scared about how that room might turn against us".
Other audience members defended Mr Currie. One told Chortle that at “no point did what happened feel like an antisemitic rally or that we were witnessing an antisemitic rant".
They added: “It didn't feel like things escalated after the young man and others left and it didn't become ‘more inflamed.’ It did feel like a disappointing end to what had been a good show.’”
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The Campaign Against Antisemitism has taken up the case and says it is considering legal avenues.
A spokesperson said: “What the Jewish audience members have recounted is atrocious, and we are working with them and our lawyers to ensure that those who instigated and enabled it are held to account.
“These allegations are of deeply disturbing discriminatory abuse against Jews. Comedians are rightly given broad latitude, but hounding Jews out of theatres is reminiscent of humanity’s darkest days, and must have no place in Central London in 2024.”
The Metropolitan Police are also now looking into the incident.
In a statement, Soho Theatre said they would not tolerate “intimidation of audience members due to their nationality, race, religion or beliefs".
They added: “On Saturday evening, following the end of Paul Currie's show Shtoom, Jewish members of the audience were subjected to verbal abuse and the performer aggressively demanding they leave the theatre.
“Such appalling actions are unacceptable and have no place on our stages, now or ever. We will not be inviting Paul Currie back to perform at our venue.
“Whilst we robustly support the right of artists to express a wide range of views in their shows, intimidation of audience members, acts of antisemitism or any other forms of racism will not be tolerated at Soho Theatre.
“We are continuing our investigation, discussing the incident with that evening's audience and consulting with the police. We are working with the Campaign Against Antisemitism to meet with members of the audience who were affected. We are taking professional advice to safeguard the much-valued inclusivity of Soho Theatre.”
Soho Theatre statement 13 February 2024 pic.twitter.com/nV6qEjjWtc
— Soho Theatre (@sohotheatre) February 13, 2024
A spokesperson for The Stand said: ‘We are reviewing the situation regarding the reported incident that took place at the end of a performance of Paul Currie: Shtoom on Saturday 10 February at Soho Theatre, London.
"We have no further comment while we try to establish the facts.”
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