Massive Attack have said they were "surprised and disappointed" by Singaporean authorities after showing pro‑Palestine sentiments during a performance in the city‑state.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, the band said its members were "detained by the police, isolated and separately questioned," with some being searched in hotel rooms and having temporary passports taken away.
The group’s two members held up a Palestinian flag during the 29 July show and shouted "Free Palestine" alongside fans.
Singapore, which has stringent rules limiting public speech and assembly, has now indefinitely banned the band from returning to the country.
A police spokeswoman told the BBC that the two members would not be allowed to re‑enter Singapore and were barred from performing there.
Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall were "given stern warnings" over alleged offences under two laws that restrict the display of foreign flags and regulate political expressions at public events.
Massive Attack’s Instagram message noted that large sections of the auditorium began chanting "Free Palestine" during the concert, something the band did not anticipate would violate their government’s censorship laws.
The band described the situation as a "surreal experience" and said they "did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognized by 157 countries would violate any law."
They added that they were proud to have made the impromptu expression with fans who "clearly felt a moral imperative to show solidarity with the people of Palestine."
The post, liked by 146,000 users, was flooded with supportive comments from fans.
One Instagram 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."
A Singapore-based content creator who attended the concert noted that "artists should respect the laws of the countries they perform in," but also argued that "art has always challenged ideas, reflected society and sparked difficult conversations."
Massive Attack is currently on a world tour, with next stops in Australia following the end of its Asia leg. The BBC has contacted Singaporean police for comment.
“The peace and harmony between different races and religions in Singapore should not be taken for granted, and we must not let external events affect our society,” a police spokeswoman said earlier this year.
The band’s earlier activist efforts include Del Naja’s arrest in London in June for displaying a sign supporting Palestine Action. Singapore’s Home Affairs Ministry has issued statements in 2023 advising against public display of articles related to the Israel‑Gaza war, including foreign national emblems, and has fined people organising unauthorised pro‑Palestine walks.
For further reading, view the BBC story on the ban: Massive Attack banned from Singapore after pro‑Palestine display at show.
