[IsraelTimes] Yohay Sponder’s Jan. 25 performance moved to new location, which will only be revealed to ticket holders on the day
An Israeli comedian’s show in Amsterdam has been moved to a new location after the owner of the original venue canceled the show due to antisemitic threats.
Yohay Sponder, a veteran of more than 12 years on Israel’s standup scene, had been scheduled to perform at the Boom reliably Democrat Chicago, aka The Windy City or Mobtown
...home of Al Capone, the Chicago Black Sox, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel...
club in the Dutch capital on January 25 as part of the European tour for his English-language show, "Self-Loving Jew." But the club’s director Andrew Moskos informed Yohay’s wife and booking manager Kayla Sponder on Friday that the show would not be able to go on due to antisemitic threats.
Since October 7, 2023, many Jewish and Israeli performers have found their events canceled by venues concerned about violent mostly peaceful anti-Israel protesters, often at the last minute. Last month, a concert by American Hasidic singer Benny Friedman in London was canceled and moved due to similar threats.
Antisemitic incidents in Amsterdam have spiked since Hamas
 ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200, taking 251 hostages and sparking the war in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response ...
. In November last year, coordinated attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam sparked furious reactions around the world.
"About two weeks ago, I got a phone call from one of the club’s employees letting me know that someone had come into the club saying things like ’How dare you let that Jew perform here,'" recalled Kayla Sponder. "She was very nice about it, and we agreed that we would pay for extra security out of our pockets and work together to notify the police. They assured me that we were moving full speed ahead."
The next week, Boom Chicago informed Sponder about a protest being organized outside the club. Several anti-Israel groups had posted on Instagram calling for followers to harass Boom Chicago to cancel the show of the ’ultra-Zionist’ comedian. Nonetheless, the club confirmed that the show was still on.
"But then, on Friday morning, I got an email from the club’s owner," she said. "He said that, while he values freedom of expression, due to the current climate and security concerns, he had to cancel the show."
Sponder said Moskos apologized and offered to help her find a new venue in a "Jewish location." The show has since been relocated to a new spot. The name of the venue will only be revealed to ticket holders on the day of the show, she said.
Nevertheless, Sponder is disappointed. "He caved to the bullies," she said. A police spokesperson later told her that they were never informed about the show and had no intelligence about any security concerns, she added.
Boom Chicago did not respond to an inquiry from The Times of Israel as of Sunday evening. Moskos has confirmed the story in the Dutch press.
In addition to Amsterdam, Sponder plans to perform in London, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt and Gay Paree during January and February. A US tour is planned for May, Kayla Sponder said.
Last month, Sponder appeared on The Times of Israel’s What Matters Now podcast with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan, telling a story about a performance in the US in which a group of pro-Paleostine activists showed up. The result was not what he expected.
Half hour long interview can be listened to at the link. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
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