A four-day vegan festival in London has been cancelled after complaints from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). The Scout Association pulled the Great Vegan Gathering's booking at Gilwell Park just weeks before the event after UKLFI claimed several performers were ‘antisemitic’. The festival said it was cancelled because it opposed Israel's genocide in Gaza and accused UKLFI of repeatedly targeting pro-Palestine cultural events.
UKLFI singled out bands including Active Slaughter and Millie Manders and the Shutup over their criticism of Israel. It also claimed hosting the festival could expose the Scouts to legal, safeguarding and reputational risks.
In response, The Scout Association said a review found the organisers' actions were not consistent with its values or venue hire policies, but declined to provide further details.
Musicians condemned the decision as an attack on pro-Palestine free speech, saying they would continue speaking out against Israel's genocide in Gaza.
The cancellation is the latest in a pattern of UKLFI using legal threats to pressure organisations into dropping Palestine-related events and campaigns. Universities, charities, councils, healthcare workers and the Scouts have all faced complaints. The European Legal Support Centre and Forensic Architecture have described UKLFI as a ‘major actor’ in the repression of pro-Palestinian activism, while legal complaints against the organisation are now before both the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Charity Commission.
The Scouts have repeatedly faced pressure. Earlier this year, UKLFI complained after a Scout leader wore a keffiyeh and again after staff displayed symbols supporting Palestine.
In 2025, UKLFI also persuaded Hertfordshire Scouts to cancel Camp Wilayah, an Islamic children's summer camp that had run for more than 13 years without complaint.
