UK Lawyers for Israel challenge bookstore over canceling performance of Zionist poetry

UKLFI wrote to the Edinburgh bookshop last Monday on behalf of Jewish poet Tracey S. Rosenberg, arguing that canceling her Dead Poets’ Slam likely amounted to unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

The event, scheduled for early December, was a poetry competition in which performers would impersonate deceased poets and recite their work, with Rosenberg due to host the evening as Dorothy Parker, the acclaimed American poet.

Typewronger Books initially welcomed the proposal, calling it an excellent idea, and advertised the event on Eventbrite, with tickets booked and performers signing up.

In its email to Rosenberg, Typewronger Books stated that it did not want to create the impression that it supported Israel.

“The perception that we’d support the State of Israel in the atrocities it has perpetrated on the Palestinians is not one we would welcome,” it said.

Addressing the poet directly, the bookshop wrote: “I want to check in with you to see how you feel about all of this; please let me know your thoughts.”

When Rosenberg requested a telephone conversation, Typewronger Books insisted on communicating via email, stating that it hoped its position was unambiguous and asking Rosenberg to state hers. Rosenberg replied that she was unsure what was expected of her.

Typewronger Books refused to engage further and canceled the event less than two hours after first raising the allegations.

Rosenberg identified three poems on subjects relating to Israel and her Jewish identity that she performed at spoken word events concerning October 7, antisemitism in Britain, and anti-Israel protests, noting that none of them were racist.

UKLFI argued that Zionism, understood as the belief in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their homeland, is protected as a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010, which also protects Jewish ethnicity and religion.

It asked Typewronger Books to explain who decided to cancel the event, disclose the complaints and other evidence relied upon, acknowledge the alleged discrimination, and apologize to Rosenberg.

“It is alarming that a Jewish poet’s event could be canceled simply because someone complained that her poetry was ‘Zionist,’” a UKLFI spokesperson said. “She was apparently expected to demonstrate agreement with the bookshop’s political position on Israel, even though her event had nothing to do with the conflict.”

“People are entitled to disagree about Israel, but they are not entitled to exclude others from public events because of their Jewish identity or protected beliefs,” the spokesperson added. “We believe this cancellation crossed the line into unlawful discrimination.”

Typewronger Books denied discrimination in its letter responding to UKLFI on Tuesday. Tee Hodges, the director and founder of Typewronger CIC, said the original complaint was anonymous and claimed to be Jewish.

She alleged that others had corroborated complaints about Rosenberg, including aggressive behavior, walking out on other poets, and creating an unpleasant atmosphere.

However, UKLFI noted that Typewronger Books provided neither the original complaint nor supporting evidence despite its requests, and argued that the bookshop failed to explain why it declared its pro-Palestine political position before asking Rosenberg to state hers.

Hodges, on her part, claimed that Rosenberg failed to engage and that a communication breakdown was the sole reason for cancellation.

Rosenberg strongly disputes this account, stating that she responded promptly, requested a telephone discussion, and explained that she did not understand what was expected of her, while also rejecting allegations of aggression and clarifying that she left performances by a particular poet whose work made her feel unsafe.

“The spoken word scene bends over backward to make sure everyone feels safe, and there is always an encouragement to leave the room if you don’t feel you can listen to the poem,” she noted.