By Ben Connolly PZ ‘26

On June 15th, 1996, roughly 100,000 people gathered at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco for the first Tibetan Freedom Concert. The show was organized by the Beastie Boys to raise money and awareness for the genocide of Tibetan Buddihsts following the occupation and annexation of the region in 1950-1951. Amid the annexation, “in October 1950, El Salvador responded to Tibet’s plea, submitting a draft resolution to the UN entitled ‘Invasion of Tibet by Foreign Forces.’ Its consideration, however, was suspended on the erroneous belief that Communist China would halt its advance and seek a peaceful accord with the Tibetans. According to the International Campaign for Tibet, “that was not to happen.” In 1959, a peaceful protest against the Chinese government escalated into a riot between Tibetan protesters and the PLA (People’s Liberation Army). In response to the Tibetan Uprising, Mao Zedong enforced a brutal and systematic campaign to eradicate the Buddhist people: “According to a document captured by the guerrillas fighting the Chinese army, 87,000 deaths were recorded in Lhasa between March 1959 and September 1960. More than 6,000 monasteries, their belongings — the priceless jewels of Tibetan culture, precious Thangka paintings, and other valuable documents were destroyed by the Chinese army” (Friends Of Tibet). China was able to commit a cultural genocide of the Tibetan people by uprooting the foundations of their religious, social and material culture.

Similarly, the Uyghur people of the Xinjiang region have been persecuted by the Chinese government since 2014. Like Tibetans, the conflict between Uyghurs and the Chinese government is heavily rooted in land ownership and natural resources (large coal, oil, and gas reserves). Xinjiang, with nearly half of its population being Uyghurs, produces 20% of the global cotton supply (BBC) as a result of forced manual labor under the order of the Chinese government. President Xi Jinping began further radicalizing his tactics in 2016 with the dual installation of internment camps and factory labor camps. Though supposedly functioning as two separate entities, satellite imagery suggests they may have amalgamated. Furthermore, a deal with U.S. biotech company Thermo Fisher has allowed China to establish a DNA database of both Uyghur and Tibetan citizens, including children. This level of mass surveillance is not only dangerous but clearly targeted. Supply of the DNA test kits to Tibet has officially halted as of January 6, 2024, roughly five years after the supply was cut to Xinjiang, but the atrocities continue nonetheless.

The Tibetan Freedom Concert was done in collaboration with the Milarepa Fund, a non-profit founded by band member Adam Yauch alongside Erin Potts to fight for the liberation of the Tibetan people and empower the youth to learn about and involve themselves in the effort. Before the actual concert series, the Beastie Boys had already donated $1 for each ticket they sold on their 1994 tour to the Milarepa Fund, but the goal was to organize their own event. The first lineup featured various musicians including Björk, Fugees, Yoko Ono, Sonic Youth, and A Tribe Called Quest. The event raised $800,000 and broke the record for the most viewed online broadcast.

Between the Freedom Concerts and the Free Tibet documentary, Yauch enlisted dozens of well-known artists to collectively direct their influence toward a pressing humanitarian issue via the power of youth culture and music. He had a clear understanding of how to genuinely connect with and radicalize young people to fight for human rights, taking the already present love and support for the Beastie Boys and using it in a non-exploitative way to garner money and support for the cause while creating a productive and engaging alternative pedagogy for those in attendance. Much of the success of the concerts can be credited to their emphasis on youth engagement and understanding of the importance of younger voices within political rhetoric and action.

Yauch got the point across by holding an event that weaved between musical performances and public speakers in a way that was genuinely engaging to people. The audience was noted to have been incredibly receptive to the various speakers. The concert was done eleven times, cumulatively raising 2.3 million dollars for the Milarepa Fund.

As we enter the music festival season this year, it feels important to revisit the ethos of the Tibetan Freedom Concert amidst the active genocide taking place in Palestine. A liberation movement is heavily aided by the voices of musicians and artists, particularly in conversing with younger audiences. A large-scale Free Palestine concert with direct involvement and performances from notable musicians interwoven with speeches and videos advocating for a ceasefire would serve as a powerful demonstration of anti-Zionism. Simultaneously, the profits from ticket sales can go towards organizations assisting in humanitarian aid. Rolling Loud makes around $3,000,000 per festival. Lollapalooza peaked at around just under $8,000,000. Coachella makes over $100,000,000 in revenue annually. The opportunity is there, and nobody is taking it. Benefit concerts rally and educate communities through art while demonstrating allyship in a far less passive manner than much of what is demonstrated by public figures. A Free Palestine concert demanding a ceasefire, promoting youth empowerment, and allocating the revenue towards humanitarian aid takes allyship beyond the performative symbolism of red pins and public statements.