Massive Attack Investigated in Singapore Over Palestinian Flag Display

By Staff, Agencies

Singaporean authorities have launched an investigation into British band Massive Attack after members displayed a Palestinian flag and voiced support for Palestine during a concert, with two members of the group now barred from re-entering the country.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, Singapore Police Force and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said the band is being investigated for what they described as actions supporting a political cause during Wednesday's performance.

According to the authorities, members of the band unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage, while one musician shouted, "Free Palestine," an act officials said could constitute a breach of the concert's licensing conditions.

Videos shared on social media showed two members of Massive Attack holding the Palestinian flag before an audience that responded with prolonged applause.

Singaporean authorities also announced that the band will not be permitted to perform in the country again, with the media regulator stating that it will reject any future performance applications submitted by the group.

Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry previously advised the public in 2023 against displaying symbols related to the Gaza war, describing the issue as highly sensitive and urging people not to publicly display articles connected to the conflict.

The incident is the latest in a series of measures targeting public expressions of solidarity with Palestine.

Since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, pro-Palestinian demonstrations and activism have faced restrictions in several countries, including mass arrests in the United States, tighter protest regulations in the United Kingdom, repeated demonstration bans in France, and criminal investigations and deportation proceedings involving activists in Germany.