Massive Attack Banned in Singapore Over Palestinian Flag Display
Massive Attack Banned in Singapore Over Palestinian Flag Display
Legendary band Massive Attack speaks out after being banned from Singapore for displaying the Palestinian flag onstage. A powerful statement on freedom of expression and human rights.
Massive Attack has publicly addressed the incident that led to two of its band members being banned from Singapore following a recent concert. The controversy arose after the band displayed the Palestinian flag during their performance at the Star Theatre on July 29th.
In a detailed statement shared on Instagram, the band expressed their surprise and disappointment at the aftermath. They reported that after the show, their entire band was detained by the police, isolated, and separately questioned. Some members even experienced hotel room searches and temporary confiscation of their passports.
The band clarified their perspective, stating, “We did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries would violate any law.” They also noted that before and after their performance, large sections of the audience organically chanted “Free Palestine,” a spontaneous expression they believed might violate local censorship laws, yet the fans remained undeterred.
Massive Attack conveyed their pride in making this “impromptu expression” alongside their Singaporean fans, whom they saluted for their courage in showing solidarity with the people of Palestine. The band highlighted the “ongoing reality of illegal occupation, apartheid and genocide” faced by Palestinians, and criticized the “continued inaction of the ‘international community’ which is moving citizens to personal risk.”
Describing the experience as “surreal,” the band emphasized its significance as a “reminder of the importance of defending universal human rights and freedom of expression, wherever those rights are threatened.” They drew a parallel to situations in the UK, where peaceful protestors holding signs against genocide are, in their view, sometimes arrested under terrorism laws.
The band concluded their statement by thanking the people of Singapore for their welcome and expressed hope that the Government of Singapore would choose to ratify the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, thereby allowing its citizens greater freedom of expression.
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