Lead

British trip-hop band Massive Attack has said its members were detained by police in Singapore after a concert during which a Palestinian flag was unfurled on stage. In a statement on Instagram, the group said it was "surprised and disappointed" by its treatment by Singaporean authorities, who subsequently barred the band from returning to the country.

The band's two members, Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall, held up a Palestinian flag during their 29 July performance at the Star Theatre and shouted "free Palestine" alongside members of the audience, as reported by both Al Jazeera and the BBC. Singapore police later said the two members would not be allowed to re-enter Singapore and were barred from performing there.

Coverage comparison

Both Al Jazeera and the BBC reported on the incident, focusing on the band's expression of pro-Palestinian sentiments and the subsequent ban. The BBC highlighted the band's statement and included a quote from an Instagram user who thanked Massive Attack for standing with Palestine. Al Jazeera's coverage emphasized the detention and the band's surprise, quoting their statement extensively.

Both outlets noted Singapore's stringent rules on public speech and assembly, which require permits for displaying foreign flags, national emblems, and banners in public. Police were quoted saying the band's actions "could potentially harm the racial and religious harmony in Singapore."

Key claims

  • Massive Attack members were detained by police in Singapore, isolated, and separately questioned, with some subjected to hotel room searches and temporary passport confiscation, according to the band's statement as reported by both Al Jazeera and the BBC.
  • A Palestinian flag was unfurled on stage during the concert, and the crowd chanted "Free Palestine," as reported by both outlets.
  • Two band members, Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall, were issued stern warnings and barred from re-entering Singapore, according to a police spokeswoman quoted by the BBC.
  • Singapore has stringent rules on public speech and assembly, as noted by both outlets, with police saying the flag display could potentially harm racial and religious harmony.
  • Robert Del Naja was arrested in London earlier this year for showing support for Palestine Action, a claim carried by both Al Jazeera and the BBC.

Perspectives

Massive Attack's perspective

The band expressed "surprise and disappointment" at their treatment, stating they "did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries would violate any law." They described the experience as "surreal" and said they were "proud to have made the impromptu expression" with fans in Singapore, who "clearly felt a moral imperative to show solidarity with the people of Palestine."

Singapore authorities' perspective

Singapore police issued stern warnings to the two band members and barred them from re-entering the country. A police spokeswoman told the BBC that the band's actions "could potentially harm the racial and religious harmony in Singapore," citing laws that restrict the public display of foreign flags and regulate political expressions at public events.

Fan perspective

Supportive messages flooded the band's Instagram post, which received 146,000 likes. One user wrote, "Many of us in Singapore have grown up learning to be careful with what we say, how loudly we say it, and when it's safer to stay silent," as quoted by the BBC.