ConflictClarifier

ردیاب بحران ایران-خلیج فارس ۲۰۲۶
CC
Events Archive
diplomacyAug 17, 2026

Venue admits scrapping Jewish comedian's Edinburgh Fringe show was discrimination

Summary

Venue admits scrapping Jewish comedian's Edinburgh Fringe show was discrimination - Published A venue has accepted that it discriminated against a Jewish comedian when it cancelled his show at last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe over his views about the Israel-Gaza war. Philip Simon was due to perform his stand-up show at the Banshee Labyrinth on Niddry Street, but the venue scrapped it at short notice after it carried out "routine" checks on his social media. It told industry magazine Chortle, external that Simon's views aligned with "groups associated with humanitarian violations", but the comic said he had been cancelled "just for being Jewish". Simon pursued legal action and on Monday his lawyer David Welsh told a court hearing that the venue had conceded it had acted unlawfully. He said: "The defender conceded that the defender discriminated against the pursuer, contrary to the provisions of the Equalities Act." He added: "Following the defence's concession… the whole issue of liability has now been resolved in the pursuer's favour. "The pursuer has been entirely successful on the question of liability." Count Binface to perform at Fringe after by-election defeat - Published3 days ago How affordable are Edinburgh's festivals? - Published5 days ago Amanda Knox comedy show 'sincere' but 'just not very funny' - Published6 days ago Simon, from London, had posted a number of remarks on X about the conflict in the Middle East in January 2025. This included a post where he said Israel had been forced to "capitulate" when it released 1,890 Palestinians - and this amounted to negotiating with "terrorists". When the Banshee Labyrinth cancelled his solo show, he said: "The reason I was given is that my views concerning the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine… are in significant conflict with our venue's stance against the current Israeli government's policy and actions. "Anyone who knows me will know I have never expressed support for anything other than freeing the hostages and finding a way to peace. "It is sad to think that these views could conflict with anyone who wants to see a lasting peace in Israel and Gaza." He added: "I am still processing the concept that in 2025 I can be cancelled just for being Jewish." Simon took legal action against the venue's owner Morrison Bro's Ltd, claiming he had been discriminated against on the grounds of "unlawful belief-based discrimination". This was agreed between the two parties by joint minute, though the company initially defended the case. His lawyer claimed the venue had "dragged out proceedings" despite knowing any defence was "untenable" and that it had admitted acting unlawfully "on the eve of the hearing". He told the court this led to his client to incur "avoidable expenses at every stage", and called on the court to award him expenses incurred to date. Responding, the venue's lawyer, Darren Cox, disputed whether it would have been possible to settle the matter pre-litigation. He said not all costs incurred to date related to the question of liability, and called for a decision on expenses to be deferred "until the end". Judge Sheriff Roderick Flinn said: "In this case parties have agreed by joint minute that the defender discriminated against the pursuer, contrary to the provisions of the Equalities Act 2010." He added that the defender had acted "unreasonably" in leaving it until 5 August to accept it had discriminated against Simon. He said expenses relating to preparations for a substantive hearing would be awarded at the higher "solicitor-client" rate.

Actors involved

Israel

Sources

  • CurrentsAPI

    Venue admits scrapping Jewish comedian's Edinburgh Fringe show was discrimination - Published A venue has accepted that it discriminated against a Jewish comedian when it cancelled his show at last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe over his views about the Israel-Gaza war. Philip

See this event through different lenses

Compare how Western, Iranian, Israeli, Global South, and Pro-Peace perspectives frame this event.

Compare Perspectives

Community Notes

Community Notes

Loading notes...

Related events

diplomacyUnverifiedUSIran
1 source

Key points: Bitcoin diverges from US stocks as Trump says Strait of Hormuz “open” Data from TradingView showed BTC/USD building on the week’s gains as the S&P 500 bounced from 7,696, its lowest level since Aug. 4. BTC/USD four-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView This came after US president Donald Trump posted a map of the closed Strait of Hormuz oil route to Truth Social where it was labeled “new US territory.

” Both the US and Iran lay claim to control of Hormuz, with Trump threatening US ally Oman with military action over its plans to work with Iran on charging tolls to shipping traffic. In a subsequent post, Trump confirmed that further diplomacy with Iran was not on the agenda.

“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated,” he wrote. S&P 500 one-day chart.

Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView As on Monday, oil avoided major volatility, with WTI crude down 1% at the time of writing at $84 per barrel. US government bonds continued to show strain, with the 30-year yield hitting 5.34%, its highest since January 2007.

“Bond prices are sending warnings,” BNY Mellon analyst Geoff Yu wrote in a research note quoted by the New York Times. Yu said that the surge came as “investors demand more compensation for inflation risk,” while also attributing the upside to government borrowing.

US 30-year bond yields one-month chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView BTC price faces crunch rebound test Updating X followers on BTC/USD, trader and analyst Aksel Kibar eyed the culmination of a potential reverse head-and-shoulders pattern at $62,300.

Related: Bitcoin price spike to $64.5K was ‘low-volume liquidity trap’: Analysis “If $BTCUSD is going to rebound, it has to come from here,” he argued on Monday. Kibar offered a $53,000 target in the event of the head-and-shoulders structure failing, with $76,000 a potential upside target should the rebound sustain.

BTC/USD one-day chart. Source: Aksel Kibar on X.com Previously, Cointelegraph reported that underwater investors were contributing to Bitcoin’s inability to break higher. Its rebound to $64,500 also stopped short of an overhead trend line, the 50-month exponential moving average (EMA).

This moving average is now in place as resistance at $65,827.

Location: Strait of Hormuz
diplomacyUnverifiedUSIran
1 source

Trump says no talks underway with Iran, Hormuz blockade remains in place US president says no discussions are taking place or planned with Tehran and reiterates that the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains fully operational Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no talks are taking place with Iran and that no discussions are currently scheduled between the two countries.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump also said the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains "in full force and effect." The president did not provide further details regarding US policy towards Iran or any potential future diplomatic engagement.

Trump's comments come amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran and renewed focus on security and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes.

Location: Tehran
diplomacyUnverifiedUSIran
1 source

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran had “won both the war and diplomacy,” claiming those who initially sought Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” later sought negotiations. Speaking at an event, Araghchi said Iran resisted for days against what he described as “the world’s largest apparent military,” alongside another army claiming military power and with the support of nearly all Western countries and some other states inside and outside the region, according to the Tasnim news agency.

“Those who were seeking unconditional surrender, shortly after the war began, begged for negotiations,” Araghchi said. He claimed Tehran initially rejected a ceasefire and continued fighting until reaching a point where the other side accepted a ceasefire and negotiations “on Iran’s terms.

” “We fought with strength, and we negotiated with strength,” he said, adding that many foreign ministers had told him: “You won both the war and diplomacy.” Araghchi’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump called on Iran on Monday to give up and “raise the white flag.

Location: Tehran
diplomacyUnverifiedUSIran
1 source

- Iran demands US lift sanctions and return frozen assets to reopen Strait of Hormuz - Iran's Parliament Speaker warns closure of Strait continues until US ends military threats - Around 20% of global oil supply passes through the Strait, impacting energy security Iran has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US meets a set of conditions, including the release of frozen Iranian assets, an end to oil sanctions and what Tehran describes as a US blockade and military threats.

Al-Arabiya English reported that Iran's Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Trump administration must meet the conditions before Tehran considers reopening the strategic waterway. “Until the Trump regime removes the blockade, ends the wars across the region, returns Iran's stolen assets, lifts the oil sanctions, and ceases its military threats, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed,” Ghalibaf said.

Until the Trump regime removes the blockade, ends the wars across the region, returns Iran's stolen assets, lifts the oil sanctions, and ceases its military threats, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed. pic.twitter.com/fl2RrKnT1R— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) August 18, 2026 Ghalibaf also warned that Iran was prepared to respond more forcefully depending on the actions of its adversaries.

ALSO READ: 'We Control Hormuz': Trump To Declare Strait As US Territory? Here's What President Says The comments add a new condition to an already fragile diplomatic environment, with the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of concerns over global energy supplies.

Around one-fifth of global oil supply typically passes through the waterway, making any prolonged disruption a major risk for crude markets, shipping and energy security. Earlier, Press TV reported that Ghalibaf is scheduled to travel to Baghdad on Wednesday at the head of a high-level Iranian delegation for discussions with Iraqi leaders.

The talks are expected to cover regional developments and bilateral cooperation, including border security, counterterrorism, economic ties and implementation of existing agreements. Iraqi media have also reported that the agenda could include a proposal concerning Iraqi oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

The visit comes as regional governments grapple with the implications of continued disruption in one of the world's most important energy corridors. ALSO READ: Hormuz Tensions: Another Ship Hit By Unknown Projectile, Says UKMTO Centre The security situation in the waterway has also remained tense.

The UK's Maritime Trade Operations agency, or UKMTO, said a vessel reported being struck by an unknown projectile while conducting an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz. “The Company Security Officer has reported that the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while conducting an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz,” UKMTO said.

The impact damaged the vessel's engine room and resulted in a crew casualty, the agency said. The remaining crew was being assisted by the Omani coastguard. Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.

Location: Tehran