by TESSA SOLOMON
American gender theorist and philosopher Judith Butler has withdrawn from a series of talks at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, following criticisms for their comments on the October 7 attacks. In a statement first published by the Art Newspaper, Butler said that their presence on the program will be “a distraction from the important work that will be presented by artists and intellectuals at these events.”
Butler’s statement continues, “As a result, I have decided not to participate formally in the events but have urged all the guests to take part as planned. This is my own choice based on my own judgment about what is best under these circumstances, and I am confident that the program will be truly excellent and encourage the public to attend.”
Butler, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and member of the American association Jewish Voice for Peace, was accused of antisemitism over statements they made at a video-recorded lecture outside Paris on March 3. At the event, hosted by the French YouTube program Paroles d’Honneur, Butler said the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, while “terrible,” was “not a terror attack or an antisemitic act,” but rather an “uprising” and an “act of armed resistance.”
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