Charlotte de Witte Unable to Tour Australia Due to ‘Escalation of Conflict’ In Middle East

Charlotte de Witte won’t make it to Australia this weekend, as planned, due the aftershock of military strikes in the Middle East.

The high-profile Belgian techno DJ and producer was booked for an exclusive show this Friday, March 6 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, followed by a headline set at Pitch Music & Arts festival, set for March 6-10 in Moyston, Victoria.

Those shows are now scrapped.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have to cancel my upcoming shows in Australia this weekend,” she writes on Instagram Stories. “Due to the recent escalation of conflict and drone attacks in the Middle East, it is not possible to risk free reroute travel for myself and my crew. This decision was not taken lightly.”

De Witte signs off, “I am truly sorry for the disappointment and was very much looking forward to being with you.”

Those dates are produced by Untitled Group, the Melbourne-based independent festival, concert and events specialist. A statement from Untitled points to the “ongoing global travel disruptions amid conflict in the Middle East.”

The Sydney show is postponed, not canceled, the message continues. “We know how much these shows meant to fans and share in the disappointment, however the safety of Charlotte and her crew remains the priority.  A new date for the Sydney show is currently being finalized, with an update to be provided within the next 7 days. We look forward to welcoming Charlotte back to Australia as soon as possible.”

All tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled date, or refund information will be shared when a new show is announced.

According to Untitled, 27 performers for this year’s Pitch program were scheduled to travel via stopovers through the Middle East with their journeys being directly affected. Of those, 25 artists were able to be rerouted and will make their way to Pitch. However, de Witte and German producer Sedef Adasï are “no longer able to join us this year,” reads a statement from Pitch, posted on Instagram Stories.

Those disruptions are the result of aerial strikes launched on Iran last Saturday, March 28, by the United States, alongside Israel, which Donald Trump said were aimed at targeting the country’s nuclear program.

Iran has responded by firing missiles and drones at Middle Eastern nations allied to the United States, the BBC reports, as the US-Israeli war threatens to spread and escalate. The U.S. State Department on Monday warned Americans to “depart now” from 14 countries in the region due to “serious safety risks”.