HIBAPRESS – I. As-Simlali
In a move that embodies the power of digital public pressure, the artistic tour of the Algerian comedian Abdelkader Sector in Morocco has been officially canceled, in response to a massive wave of boycott calls launched by Moroccan activists.
This cancellation came to reflect a firm stance towards hosting artists from the neighborhood in light of the existing political tension, as all promotional materials were withdrawn from digital platforms and the ticket sales process was stopped permanently. This movement was not limited to virtual pioneers only, but was adopted by organized parties who saw in the cancellation of the shows a response to the "pulse of the street" that now refuses to separate art and explicit national positions. The debate took on more intense dimensions with the entry of the Moroccan artist Tariq al-Bukhari on the line of the crisis, where he launched a scathing and direct criticism of Sector, considering that the latter's silence towards Moroccan issues and pains strips him of the "right" to ascend national platforms. Al-Bukhari confirmed in his statements that national dignity is above entertainment, reminding of cases of treacherous killings that affected Moroccans, with whom Sector did not find the courage to offer condolences or solidarity, but rather chose "provocation" by attempting to present his shows in a country that did not respect his feelings. Al-Bukhari stressed that the Moroccan art scene is rich with its stars, naming the comedian "Yassar" as a model of national talent that enriches the Moroccan audience with importing laughter that comes from faces that lack human loyalty towards Morocco. Against the backdrop of this clash between art and politics, the cancellation decision sparked a division in public opinion, although the majority of it was in favor of the boycott current; as many considered that the "Hello" show presented by Sector in international capitals, could not find an echo in Morocco unless comedy was associated with clear moral positions. While some believed that art is a means of rapprochement, the field stance settled the controversy by canceling the tour, to send a message that the Moroccan theaters, despite their historical openness, no longer accept to be a platform for those who adopt ambiguous or hostile positions towards national constants, thus ending the chapters of this tour before it begins.
