Jeremy Corbyn activists defied music festival chiefs as they played a banned film, described as “antisemitic” and “laden with conspiracy theories”, about the ex-Labour Party leader.
Glastonbury was originally prepared to air the film, titled “Oh Jeremy Corbyn – The Big Lie”, on Sunday afternoon inside the Worthy Farm festival’s Pilton Palais cinema.
However, following a major backlash bosses performed a U-turn, describing the film as “not appropriate for us to screen at the festival”.
In a direct snub to the ban, Reel News screened the film in the festival’s Speaker’s Forum tent.
Video of the crowd showed them listening to clips from pro-Corbyn supporters. The film’s narrator, Alexei Sayle, claimed within it that Mr Corbyn’s decision to try and become Prime Minister was a “declaration of war”.
The film itself follows Mr Corbyn’s Labour leadership path between 2015 and 2019, a period that involved two general elections and the Brexit referendum.
Footage was shared by Reel News on Twitter, with a video captioned: “Reel News defying Glastonbury festival’s ban on the Jeremy Corbyn film and showing it right now to a packed Speakers Forum tent in Green Futures.”
Producers say the supposed “documentary” demonstrates the “extraordinary grassroots movement” that almost saw the London-based politician become Prime Minister in 2017.
It also claims to lay the “dark and murky story” behind the demise of Mr Corbyn’s time as Labour chief.
Ex-BBC journalist, and former backer of Mr Corbyn, Paul Mason, said the film conflates “Zionists, Jews and Israel as part of a force that ‘orchestrated’ his overthrow”.
In an article for LabourList, he added: “That, to me, appears to match at least two examples of anti-Semitism in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition, and should raise legal and ethical questions for any venue considering screening it.”
Others to criticise the film was security minister Tom Tugendhat.
He wrote on Twitter: “It’s not often I find myself agreeing with Paul Mason. Glastonbury shouldn’t allow itself to be exploited by antisemitism-deniers seeking to peddle their vile conspiracy theories.”
The minister added: “I hope they change their mind and decide against screening this film.”
The festival had confirmed on Monday that the film would not be screened, with a statement that said: “Although we believe that the Pilton Palais booked this film in good faith, in the hope of provoking political debate, it’s become clear that it is not appropriate for us to screen it at the Festival.
“Glastonbury is about unity and not division, and we stand against all forms of discrimination.”
When it emerged the film may be originally played, Maria van der Zyl – president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews – said it would be “profoundly sinister” were it be screened.
She added: “This film, we understand, seeks to suggest that organisations such as the Board of Deputies of British Jews, of which I am the president, somehow helped to ‘orchestrate’ Jeremy Corbyn’s downfall as Labour Party leader.
“Your festival is one of the most successful festivals in the UK. It seems profoundly sinister for it to be providing a platform to a film which clearly seeks to indoctrinate people into believing a conspiracy theory effectively aimed at Jewish organisations.”
