U.S. artists voice concerns over situation in Gaza amid anti-war sentiment

AUSTIN, the United States, March 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. artists attending a festival in Austin, capital city of Texas, on Tuesday voiced their concerns about the presence of U.S. military in the state and U.S. support of Israel in Gaza.

The Austin for Palestine Coalition said on Tuesday that more than 60 artists, musicians and panelists, who participated in the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, have joined the coalition's campaign titled "War Mongers out of SXSW."

"We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints ... We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech," the coalition said in a statement.

Ealier on Tuesday, U.S. Texas Governor Greg Abbott told those artists to leave the festival and not to come back.

"Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA. We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas," the Republican governor wrote on social media platform X.

"If you don't like it, don't come here," he added.

"SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbotts," SXSW said in the statement. "The situation in the Middle East is tragic, and it illuminates the heightened importance of standing together against injustice."

SXSW, an annual festival spanning from new technologies and tendencies to film world premieres, individual music and XR (extended reality) experiences, runs from March 8 to 16 in Austin.