During a sold-out concert by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the Philharmonie de Paris on Thursday evening, the performance was interrupted several times by protesters. According to people present at the event, smoke flares were set off inside the hall, forcing the temporary suspension of the concert. Members of the audience intervened before security officers evacuated the troublemakers. The performance later resumed and concluded without further incidents.
The disturbances came after a call by the CGT Spectacle, a French trade union representing arts and entertainment workers, which had urged the Philharmonie to “remind its audience of the extremely serious accusations weighing on the leaders of Israel.” Other organisations, artists, and concertgoers opposed the boycott call, insisting that the concert go ahead as planned.
In a post shared on Instagram, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra confirmed that “there were disruptions by pro-Palestinian protesters, including two serious incidents involving a lit flare.” The orchestra stated that Lahav Shani and Sir András Schiff briefly left the stage before returning to continue the concert, which ended with a standing ovation, an encore, and the performance of Hatikvah.
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned the events, saying that “nothing can justify such actions” and thanked the Paris police for their swift response, noting that four people were taken into custody.
Je condamne fermement les agissements commis hier soir lors d’un concert à la Philharmonie de Paris. Rien ne peut les justifier.
— Laurent Nuñez (@NunezLaurent) November 7, 2025
Je remercie les effectifs de la @prefpolice qui ont permis l’interpellation rapide de plusieurs auteurs de troubles graves à l’intérieur de la salle… https://t.co/ZTieOuaaXU
The Philharmonie de Paris announced that it had filed a formal complaint, describing the actions as “totally unacceptable” and reaffirming that “nothing can justify threatening the safety of the public, staff, and artists.” Security for the event had been significantly reinforced in anticipation of protests outside the venue.
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