Barclays has said it has suspended its sponsorship of several leading UK music festivals, after an artists-led backlash at the bank’s provision of financial services to defence companies supplying Israel, AFP reports.

The British bank revealed it had been asked by US entertainment giant Live Nation to “suspend participation” in its remaining 2024 festivals, which include this weekend’s Download event in central England.

Live Nation said only: “Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of our festivals.”

A Barclays spokesperson confirmed the move, saying the bank “was asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024”.

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