Popular comedian Jimmy Carr is facing calls for his upcoming shows in Scotland to be cancelled after hosting a private event for the Israeli embassy at the British Museum last week.
The invitation-only celebration, held under tight security to mark Israel’s 77th Independence Day, was attended by senior political figures and communal leaders. Carr acted as master of ceremonies alongside Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely and defence minister Maria Eagle, who praised UK-Israel security cooperation and Royal Air Force support during recent conflicts.
The event also included a tribute to Nova festival hero Aner Shapira, delivered by his parents to an audience including Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch, Stephen Crabb and Lord Ian Austin.
Guests gather inside the British Museum for Israel’s 77th Independence Day celebration.
Photo Credit: X/@revwickland
Following the event, activists launched a social media campaign urging Carr’s gigs to be pulled, accusing him of supporting “murderers”. One viral post featured a photoshopped image of Carr with an Israeli flag edited onto his chest and the caption “owned by murderers”. The tweet also included the words: “You know what to do. #BDS @jimmycarr.”
Posts also referenced ambassador Hotovely’s past rejection of a two-state solution and her description of the Nakba as “an Arab lie”.
In contrast, guests at the event praised Carr as a friend to the Jewish community.
“It is outrageous that anyone should be so cruelly attacked as Jimmy Carr has been for attending this annual, communal event,” one attendee told Jewish News. “All he told me was that he was supportive of the UK Jewish community – morale-lifting to hear at a time of surging antisemitism. To attack him is beneath contempt, and the Jewish community should come out strongly to support him in return.”
Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists gather outside British Museum
British Museum staff were reportedly asked to leave the venue ahead of the event. Outside, a group of pro-Palestinian protestors gathered with banners calling for sanctions against Israel and accusing UK institutions of complicity.
Carr has not publicly responded to the campaign. He is scheduled to perform multiple shows across the UK this summer.
