Police investigation after Jewish punters felt intimidated... but comic has some support

Audience members at the show in which Paul Currie clashed with an Israeli man have defended the comedian against allegations he incited an antisemitic rant.

Chortle was yesterday the first media outlet to report how Jewish comedy-goers told how they felt threatened and intimidated by the Northern Irish stand-up, who is said to have led chants of ‘get out’ and ‘free Palestine’.

The Metropolitan Police are now looking into the incident after receiving a complaint, saying: ‘We are aware of the incident and understand why it was upsetting for those involved.’

But other people who were at London’s Soho Theatre on Saturday night have now told this website that although Currie became angry, with the show ending on a sour note, they did not witness antisemitic behaviour.

The ruckus started after Currie produced the Palestinian flag during his show, Shtoom, and came to a head when the comic orchestrated his own standing ovation at the end.

Currie spotted one man who remained in his seat and asked him  why he didn’t stand, saying: ‘Didn’t you enjoy my show?’

The punter – subsequently identified by MailOnline as 33-year-old software engineer Liahav Eitan – replied: ‘I enjoyed your show until you brought out the Palestinian flag.’

It provoked Currie to order him out of the theatre. According a complaint being circulated online, this ‘escalated into screaming at this young man, [with Currie] repeatedly shouting "Leave my fucking show, Now!" "Get out now"’ – causing him and other audience members to leave the show.

One audience member, Clare, told how Currie was ‘angered’ by Eitan’s rejection of the Palestinian flag, but said she did not feel his response was antisemitic.

She said: ‘Paul Currie did pull out two flags towards the end of his act [the other being that of Ukraine] and I took them as symbols of conflict and their inclusion as a call for peace.

‘I couldn't hear what was said by the young man sitting at the side of the stage as it was off mic… but it became apparent that he objected to the inclusion of the Palestinian flag. 

‘From what I could gather, Paul interpreted this as an objection to his call for an end to wars - specifically a ceasefire in Gaza… He was angry. It's clearly something he feels very strongly about. 

‘I am horrified that the person who wrote this account felt unsafe. I hate the idea of anyone feeling threatened - especially by others present.’

Responding to audience members who said the audience  shouting 'Free Palestine' and 'Get Out’, she said: ‘I am genuinely sorry that was their experience because it differs massively from my own. Nobody around me was chanting either of those things. 

‘Some people did shout and clap for 'ceasefire now' - some people stood up. The war is very upsetting, the images have been horrific. A lot of people have been killed. I would like it to stop.    

‘At no point did what happened feel like an antisemitic rally or that we were witnessing an antisemitic rant. If it had, we would have left immediately. 

‘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.’

Another audience member, Joanna, gave a similar account, saying that when Eitan challenged the Palestinian flag, ‘Paul was angered by this and told them to get out of the room’.

 ‘He then started chanting "ceasefire now" and much of the audience joined in. He then gave a passionate speech in which he condemned the actions of Hamas, but also those of Israel. He made a comparison with his hometown, Belfast. He said if the British Government had had a similar reaction to the IRA, as Israel had to Hamas, he would not be here.

‘While his action of telling audience members to leave is strong, to say they were antisemitic is untrue. His criticism was with the actions of a government, the actions which are currently under investigation by an international court of law for genocide. What has been happening in Gaza has been really hard for all of us to witness and emotions are running high. 

‘I think Paul’s position is understandable if not laudable… I think he is very brave.’ 

UPDATE 15/2: After subsequent reflection, Joanna has come to the conclusion that Currie was wrong to kick them out of the room, believing it to be antagonistic and alienating. She has asked us to point out that while she Currie to be ‘a great guy, but he made a mistake’ in this instance.

Aoibhinn, who said she was at the show on both Friday and Saturday night, told us that she thought it was ‘mean-spirited, disproportionate and irrational’ of audience members to complain about the flag ‘when there can be no doubt of the horrendous suffering of those populations’.

‘I don't believe anyone in the room was antisemitic, the thing was about loving peace,’ she added. ‘Almost everyone stayed on-message with the performer.’

However, Eitan - who moved to London from Israel five years ago - said he was scared the room  ‘might turn against us’.

He told MailOnline that after he told Currie he objected to the Palestinian flag, the comic ‘starts screaming, "I’m from Belfast. I know everything about ceasefires. Ceasefire now, get the fuck out of my theatre. Get out, get the fuck out of my show, motherfuckers’."

Eitan said that as he and his friend crossed the stage to leave Soho Theatre’s downstairs theatre,  Currie had started chants of ‘ceasefire now’ and ‘free Palestine’, adding: ‘We had to actually get on the stage quite close to him — and I was quite afraid that he’d throw a punch because he was still cursing and shouting. 

‘He got out his Palestine flag again and shouted "motherfucker you'll have to watch it again on your way out.’

He added: ‘[We were] mostly scared about how that room might turn against us’ and said  Currie should be reprimanded for his 'unreasonable and unprofessional behaviour'.

Other people who left in disgust said yesterday: ‘What had been intended to be an evening of comedy turned out to be what felt like an antisemitic rally.’

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.'

In a statement, Soho Theatre said: 'We are sorry and saddened by an incident that took place at our venue at the end of a performance of Paul Currie: Shtoom on Saturday 10 February which has caused upset and hurt to members of [the] audience attending and others.

'We take this very seriously and are looking into the detail of what happened as thoroughly, as sensitively, and as quickly as we can. It is important to us that Soho Theatre is a welcoming and inclusive place for all.'

Chortle has approached Paul Currie for comment, but he has not responded.

After the gig he took to Instagram to post a quote from Mexican poet Cesar A. Cruz saying: ’Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable’ and added: ‘If you were at my show last night… you’ll know’.

He has also posted footage of himself on a pro-Palestine march and yesterday added more calls for a ceasefire, while accusing Israel of a genocide in Gaza as it continues its onslaught in response to the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas.

Soho Theatre was formerly the West End Great Synagogue and still displays a mizrach – the plaque traditionally placed on the east wall of a Jewish building – commemorating that history.

Below are first-hand accounts from two audience members, who asked for their surnames not to be shared. Chortle has confirmed that they had tickets to Saturday’s show.

Read the original complaint against Currie here.

Clare

I saw an account of a show I attended on Saturday night and as someone who was there, I wanted to register how upset I was seeing  it. It felt like an account of a different show, although I recognise some of it.    

Paul Currie did pull out two flags towards the end of his act and I took them as symbols of conflict and their inclusion as a call for peace. Much of the act seemed to be about the human condition and life's hardships. It wasn't political or religious. It featured Kermit and a bowl of cornflakes.  I was there because it was a silent, absurdist show and had great reviews. 

I couldn't hear what was said by the young man sitting at the side of the stage as it was off mic and I was in the middle of the crowd, but it became apparent that he objected to the inclusion of the Palestinian flag. 

From what I could gather, Paul interpreted this as an objection to his call for an end to wars - specifically a ceasefire in Gaza (but not Ukraine).  So he told the man to get out whilst explaining that as a resident of Northern Ireland, he understood the need for ceasefires. He was angry. It's clearly something he feels very strongly about. 

I am horrified that the person who wrote this account felt unsafe. I hate the idea of anyone feeling threatened - especially by others present. 

They write how "it felt that the entire audience were up on their feet shouting 'Free Palestine' and 'Get Out'" I am genuinely sorry that was their experience because it differs massively from my own. 

Nobody  around me was chanting either of those things.  Nobody shouted 'get out'. Some people did shout and clap for 'ceasefire now' - some people stood up. The war is very upsetting, the images have been horrific. A lot of people have been killed. I would like it to stop.    

At no point did what happened feel like an antisemitic rally or that we were witnessing an antisemitic rant. If it had, we would have left immediately. 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.  

On exiting, myself and my companion felt sad, not angry and we certainly weren't in the mood for 'glaring aggressively' at anyone. 

I'm not condoning Paul Currie for losing his temper and shouting at people to get out. It must have felt humiliating to be singled out - but I do object to being labelled an antisemite. That is not what happened and I really don't think that's what Paul Currie meant. Nothing he said was antisemitic. 

Joanna 

As noted above, Joanna has now had second thoughts about this statement, which she first gave us soon after the show, and now believes Currie to have been wrong to eject the audience member

I feel compelled to write this as I have seen through lots of channels that Paul is being labelled as antisemitic for his actions on Saturday. I believe it is important to share my account of what happened, especially within the context of one who has seen him perform before.

Most of Paul’s show is completely random – crazy sketches stacked on top of each other with some hilarious audience participation which had the crowd eating out of his hand. Close to the end of the show, Paul held up first a Ukrainian flag and then a Palestinian flag. To me this creates a sense of anti-war and pacificism more than anything else, and the crowd cheered. 

He held up a Ukrainian flag during the Edinburgh Festival, and was therefore extending the same message he was putting out before the (awful) attack of Hamas and Israel’s ongoing bombing of Gaza.

At the end of the show Paul got a standing ovation. He always speaks at the end of Shtoom, a silent show. He noticed two members of the audience on the front row who were not standing up and made a joke about asking them why. They said something along the lines that they hated the show and they didn’t like the Palestinian flag. There might have been more but it was hard to hear, as I was in the middle of the room and they were at the front.

Paul was angered by this and told them to get out of the room. He then started chanting "ceasefire now" and much of the audience joined in. He then gave a passionate speech in which he condemned the actions of Hamas, but also those of Israel. He made a comparison with his hometown, Belfast. He said if the British Government had had a similar reaction to the IRA, as Israel had to Hamas, he would not be here. He spoke of the great waste of life we have seen – how many artists, doctors etc that have been lost in Gaza, and how awful that is.

While his action of telling audience members to leave is strong, to say they were antisemitic is untrue. His criticism was with the actions of a government, the actions which are currently under investigation by an international court of law for genocide. What has been happening in Gaza has been really hard for all of us to witness and emotions are running high. 

I think Paul’s position is understandable, if not laudable (he defended an oppressed group), and given the backlash he seems to be facing (he has received some very hurtful messages on Instagram amongst other places) for purporting a message of an end to violence, I think he is very brave. 

Published: 13 Feb 2024