Singapore bans Massive Attack for showing Palestinian flag, breaching ban on foreign emblems
✓British trip-hop band Massive Attack has been barred from performing in Singapore after an investigation found two members unfurled a Palestinian flag during a concert, police said.
Singapore, known for its tough laws on public speech and assembly, bans the open display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit.
Two band members who held the flag on stage during a concert on Wednesday were also banned from re-entering Singapore and issued with warnings, police said in a statement late on Friday, without naming the pair.
The concert promoter had not responded to an AFP request for comment at time of publication. The band had not issued a public comment.
A video circulating online showed two Massive Attack members on stage unfurling a Palestinian flag to loud, prolonged cheers from the audience.
After concluding their investigation and in consultation with state prosecutors, police said they “administered stern warnings to both men” and barred them from coming back to the city-state.
The media regulator was also probing possible breaches of licensing conditions.
“Notwithstanding the event organiser’s prior acknowledgment of the licence conditions, during the performance, two band members held a foreign flag on stage, and one of them also shouted ‘Free Palestine’,” police said.
The media regulator “will also not grant any future application for performances by the band in Singapore in view of the entry ban”, police said.
The band is known for its criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has used its popularity to support the Palestinian cause.
In April, frontman Robert Del Naja was among more than 200 people arrested at a protest in London’s Trafalgar Square in support of Palestine Action, an activist group banned by British authorities.
Singapore is a major concert hub for south-east Asia, having hosted multi-night performances by Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.
The police urged the public, including foreigners, “to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law”.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · The Guardian ↗
Singapore's police said they banned British trip-hop band Massive Attack from performing in the city-state after investigating a concert on Wednesday where two band members displayed a Palestinian flag on stage. Singapore maintains a law prohibiting the open display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit. The two members received stern warnings and entry bans. One member also shouted 'Free Palestine' during the performance. The media regulator, which oversees concert licensing, is investigating possible breaches of the performance's licensing conditions and stated it will not approve future applications from the band. Police noted that the event organiser had acknowledged the licence conditions beforehand. Massive Attack has a documented history of criticising Israel's military actions and supporting Palestinian causes. In April, the band's frontman was among those arrested at a pro-Palestine protest in London.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · The Guardian ↗
British trip-hop band Massive Attack has been barred from performing in Singapore after an investigation found two members unfurled a Palestinian flag during a concert, police said.
Singapore, known for its tough laws on public speech and assembly, bans the open display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit.
Two band members who held the flag on stage during a concert on Wednesday were also banned from re-entering Singapore and issued with warnings, police said in a statement late on Friday, without naming the pair.
The concert promoter had not responded to an AFP request for comment at time of publication. The band had not issued a public comment.
A video circulating online showed two Massive Attack members on stage unfurling a Palestinian flag to loud, prolonged cheers from the audience.
After concluding their investigation and in consultation with state prosecutors, police said they “administered stern warnings to both men” and barred them from coming back to the city-state.
The media regulator was also probing possible breaches of licensing conditions.
“Notwithstanding the event organiser’s prior acknowledgment of the licence conditions, during the performance, two band members held a foreign flag on stage, and one of them also shouted ‘Free Palestine’,” police said.
The media regulator “will also not grant any future application for performances by the band in Singapore in view of the entry ban”, police said.
The band is known for its criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has used its popularity to support the Palestinian cause.
In April, frontman Robert Del Naja was among more than 200 people arrested at a protest in London’s Trafalgar Square in support of Palestine Action, an activist group banned by British authorities.
Singapore is a major concert hub for south-east Asia, having hosted multi-night performances by Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.
The police urged the public, including foreigners, “to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law”.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · The Guardian ↗
Two Massive Attack members unfurled a Palestinian flag during a concert in Singapore on Wednesday Singapore law bans the open display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit The two band members were issued stern warnings and barred from re-entering Singapore One member also shouted 'Free Palestine' during the performance The media regulator will not grant future performance applications from the band due to the entry ban The event organiser had acknowledged the licence conditions prior to the performance Massive Attack is known for its criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza Importing foreign politics can undermine social cohesion and the rule of law
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · The Guardian ↗
- British band Massive Attack was banned from performing in Singapore after two members displayed a Palestinian flag during a concert on Wednesday
- Singapore law prohibits the public display of foreign flags without a permit; the two band members were issued stern warnings and banned from re-entering the city-state
- The media regulator will deny any future performance applications from the band, and police stated the incident breached licensing conditions
- Massive Attack has publicly supported the Palestinian cause; frontman Robert Del Naja was arrested at a pro-Palestine protest in London in April