Activists interrupt Sadler's Wells performance

A performance by an Israeli dance group in London was disrupted on Monday by demonstrators protesting against Israeli air strikes in Gaza. Protestors stood on their seats and shouted at Sadler's Wells theatre before being ejected by security staff. Organisers said protests would continue at the Batsheva Ensemble's performances on Tuesday and Wednesday. The group, making their first visit to the UK, receives state funding that helps the troupe tour abroad. Campaigners said they are not protesting against individual Israeli artists but against their government. "Our message to Israel... is that institutions linked to the state, including cultural bodies like Batsheva, cannot expect to be welcomed as if they represented normalcy," said Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi of the Boycott Israel Network. Before Monday, 11 of the the Batsheva Ensemble's UK shows have been interrupted since the company began touring in August. More protests are planned when the Tel Aviv-based group reaches Plymouth on 23 and 24 November, the final dates of its UK tour. BBC.