An Israeli soldier walks near pictures that are part of an installation at the site of the Nova festival, where people were killed and kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, in Reim, southern Israel, Jan. 14, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Over 2,000 pro-Israel supporters demonstrated outside London’s oldest running theater on Thursday night to show solidarity with the venue after it was vandalized for participating in an Israeli film festival and hosting a screening of a film about the Supernova music festival attack, The Jewish Chronicle reported.

Seret International, the largest Israeli film festival in the world, took place in the United Kingdom from May 16-23. As part of the week-long film festival, the Phoenix Cinema held a private screening on Thursday night of “Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre,” a documentary about the Hamas massacre of 360 people at the Supernova music festival in Re’im, Israel. The screening at Phoenix Cinema was sponsored by the London-based, pro-Israel charity UJIA, and the film festival’s sponsors and supporters include Israel’s Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom, and the Israel Film Fund.

Early Thursday morning, the Phoenix Cinema was found vandalized by anti-Israel activists who spray painted “Say no to artwashing” in red letters on the front doors of the venue and splattered red paint on the theater’s signage. A fundraising campaign was organized to help cover the costs of cleaning and repairing any damage caused by the vandalism.

Also on Thursday, two filmmakers, Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, announced their decision to resign as patrons of the Phoenix Cinema because the venue was participating in the Seret film festival.

At the pro-Israel rally that took place outside the Phoenix Cinema on Thursday night, ahead of the “Supernova” screening, supporters of the Jewish state waved Israeli flags, held posters advocating for the return of the hostages held by Hamas for seven months, and danced in the street, forcing traffic to come to a stand-still, according to The Jewish Chronicle. Some held signs that read, “Shouldn’t artists support the truth?” and “Why be so afraid of the truth when the Hamas terrorists documented it themselves?” — which is a reference to the firsthand footage from Oct. 7 that is featured in the Supernova documentary.

A small group of around 50 anti-Israel protesters also demonstrated outside the venue, on the other side of the street, before the screening started, The Jewish Chronicle noted. Some pro-Israel supporters confronted their opposers before police ordered for the groups to remain on different sides of the street. Police later escorted the anti-Israel demonstrators away from the scene as others chanted, “Terrorist supporters off our streets.”

Organizers of the Seret film festival released a statement addressing the opposition they have faced by anti-Israel activists.

“In recent months, the festival has faced challenges and pressures on cinema houses, with threats of boycotts and demands for cancellations. However, SERET remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting Israeli culture through cinema and refuses to succumb to censorship or cancellation,” the organizers said. “SERET UK is honored to continue its mission of promoting Israeli culture and cinema on the international stage, providing audiences in the UK with a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Israeli life and creativity through the art of filmmaking.”