Festival Sparks Protest in Accra Over UN Finding of Gaza Genocide – Israel Accused of Image “Whitewashing”

Gaza protest in Accra

Ghana, a scheduled Israeli Film Festival at Silverbird Cinema drew protests after a United Nations inquiry formally declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Activists accused the event’s organisers of using film to sanitize or distract from alleged war crimes. The festival commenced with heavy security around the venue, provoking public attention and debate.

The festival’s sponsor list came under scrutiny, with a prominent hotel denying its involvement after its logo appeared in promotional materials without its authorization.

• Festival launch & attendees: The Israeli Film Festival began with an invite‐only screening attended by Ghanaian political figures and the Israeli ambassador. Over five days, it planned to showcase five films one private, the rest open to the public.
• Protests inside/outside: From day one, a group of about 20 protesters, mostly dressed in black and some wearing keffiyehs, gathered daily outside the cinema. They carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans such as “free Palestine” and “stop the genocide.” Police officers, some with SWAT‐style uniforms, blocked their entrance into the cinema and attempted to disperse them.
• Security & irony: The visible armed police presence in a shopping mall drew sharp attention. Some protestors described it as ironic, saying it mirrored what they see as Israeli policies in Gaza.
• Denials of sponsorship: Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra issued a statement saying it is not a sponsor of the festival. It claimed its name and logo were used without its knowledge and asked for promotional materials to be corrected.

Ghanaian citizens, like many around the world, are grappling with how international conflict is represented locally. Events such as film festivals are not only cultural but also political they frame narratives and influence public perception. When UN bodies issue findings of genocide, how these are received or contested in public forums has implications for media freedom, civil society, and diplomatic relations.

On the same day the festival opened, a UN Independent Commission of Inquiry issued a formal report finding that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, including four out of five acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention. These include killing civil populations, causing serious mental harm, inflicting life conditions intended to destroy the group, and measures aimed at preventing births.

That report intensifies tensions, not just between governments, but in civil society spaces where activism, culture and state diplomacy converge.

Background & Context

Since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza following Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023, numerous civil society groups, international NGOs, and UN organs have made allegations against both Israel and Hamas, ranging from war crimes to crimes against humanity. The latest UN inquiry (the Pillay Commission) gathered evidence from 7 October 2023 through 31 July 2025 to assess whether acts amounting to genocide took place.

In Ghana, public protest law was reformed in 1993 to abolish the need for a permit to demonstrate. However, formal notification to police remains a legal expectation. Disputes often emerge over whether failure to notify justifies police intervention.

Local Examples & Case Studies

Kempinski Hotel’s clarification: After its name and logo appeared in festival promos, Kempinski formally denied sponsorship, stating it was not aware of its brand being used. It asked organisers to remove its branding from promotional materials.

Institute of Film & Television (UMATIC): Students and staff from Ghana’s Institute of Film & Television were among those whose works were scheduled for screening. Some in the school expressed discomfort with associating with an event seen by critics as politically charged. Others stressed the academic mandate of giving students exposure.

Reactions & Framing

Embassy’s Response: Organisers defended the festival as a cultural event meant to foster dialogue, not timed or intended to make a political statement. They said the Embassy hosted it to showcase creativity, diversity, and humane stories from Israel.

Uncertainties & Facts to Verify

• Whether all financial backers of the festival have been publicly disclosed. The embassy declined to clarify if there were additional sponsors beyond those it acknowledged.
• The exact nature of any legal restriction on protests in Accra relating to prior police notification. Legal texts say notification is required; practice and enforcement vary.

The Israeli Film Festival in Accra became more than just a showcase of cinema it turned into a focal point for global accountability, free expression, and national debate. The intersection of art, diplomacy, and protest reveals how cultural events can serve also as platforms of political contestation. Moving forward, Ghana, like many countries, faces the question of how to balance cultural exchange with pressure for justice and transparency, especially when international legal findings stir robust public sentiment.

Read also: Ghana’s Government Spending Falls 14% Below Target in 2025 – Signals Stronger Fiscal Discipline