Sept. 7, 2023

Activists Disrupt Woody Allen’s Concert Over Abuse Allegations

Two topless female protesters from Femen disrupted a concert by Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band in Hamburg, Germany, aiming to draw attention to abuse allegations against the filmmaker. By: Theng Min Yee

During Woody Allen's first concert in Germany in six years, two topless protesters from the feminist group Femen disrupted the performance, accusing Allen of alleged abuse of his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. The incident took place at the Elbphilharmonie, a renowned concert hall in Hamburg, approximately 20 minutes into the show.

The protesters stormed the stage with flowers in their hair and messages scrawled on their bodies, which were quotes from Dylan Farrow's 2014 open letter detailing the alleged abuse by Allen, as reported on Femen's Facebook page. Their actions were met with loud boos from the audience before they were eventually escorted offstage by venue staff. Following the concert, activists outside the Elbphilharmonie distributed leaflets explaining that their intention was not to "spoil the evening" but to "give the victims of sexual violence a voice," according to broadcaster NDR.

Woody Allen has consistently denied the allegations made by Dylan Farrow and her mother, Mia Farrow, refuting them in a comprehensive op-ed published in The New York Times in 2014. Allen stated that it would be his "final word" on the matter.

Despite the disruption, Woody Allen, 82, and his New Orleans Jazz Band remained composed. They resumed their performance, and the concert concluded with an enthusiastic ovation from the audience. Notably, front-row tickets for the concert were priced at €200 ($230), as reported by NDR. Allen and his jazz band perform regularly at Café Carlyle in New York City.

This incident occurred amid a weekend of widespread protests surrounding the G-20 summit in Hamburg, which resulted in injuries to 476 police officers and the arrest of 186 demonstrators. Last Friday, the Elbphilharmonie, inaugurated in January, hosted leaders from the world's 20 leading economies, who gathered to listen to Beethoven's Ode to Joy in the expansive high-rise venue. Thousands of protesters were kept at bay by police using water cannons and tear gas.

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