SYDNEY, Jan 12, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Australia's leading Adelaide Festival is battling a slew of artist withdrawals and board resignations after disinviting a Palestinian-Australian author citing "cultural sensitivities" raised by the Bondi Beach shooting.

Scores of artists have reportedly torn up their invitations, several board members -- including the festival chair -- have quit, and the blocked author's lawyers have demanded an explanation.

Australia's premier annual cultural event, which lures artists from around the world, unleashed the storm last week when it told Randa Abdel-Fattah it did not "wish to proceed" with her appearance at its Writers' Week.

"Whilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi," it said in a statement.

The festival board said it was "shocked and saddened" by the December 14 mass shooting at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people, and its decision to exclude Abdel-Fattah was not taken lightly.

But the shunned author and academic said it was a "blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism".

It was a "despicable attempt to associate me with the Bondi massacre", she said in a statement.

Her legal representatives, Marque Lawyers, sent a letter to the festival on Sunday demanding it identify statements by the author that justified excluding her.

Marque Lawyers' managing partner Michael Bradley said the festival had "trampled" on Abdel-Fattah's human rights and the board would have to answer for it.

- Festival chair resigns -

Abdel-Fattah has faced criticism over some statements including a post on X in October 2024 saying: "The goal is decolonisation and the end of this murderous Zionist colony".

Local media said her exclusion had led more than 70 participants to withdraw from the festival, which runs from February 27-March 15.

They included author and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who posted a video on social media of himself tearing up his invitation.

Three Adelaide Festival board members reportedly resigned their positions at an extraordinary meeting on Saturday.

On Sunday, the festival chair, Tracey Whiting, announced she, too, had resigned with immediate effect.

"Recent decisions were bound by certain undertakings and my resignation enables the Adelaide Festival, as an organisation, to refresh its leadership and its approach to these circumstances," she said.

South Australia's Premier Peter Malinauskas said he was legally prevented from directing the board's decisions.

"However, when asked for my opinion I was happy to make it clear that the state government did not support the inclusion of Dr Abdel-Fattah on the Adelaide Writers' Week program," he told local media.

The Adelaide Festival said it had "temporarily unpublished" the list of participants and events in Writers' Week while it works through changes to its website.