Massive Attack banned from Singapore over Palestinian flag display
The band Massive Attack has been banned from performing in Singapore after members displayed a Palestinian flag during a concert. Singaporean authorities cited strict laws regarding public assembly and the display of foreign emblems as the reason for the ban and the warnings issued to the band members.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the strict regulatory environment for public performances in Singapore and the intersection of global political activism with local law.
Singapore: 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.
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 Friday, without naming the pair.
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.
A video circulating online showed two Massive Attack members on stage unfurling a Palestinian flag to loud, prolonged cheers from the audience, prompting the police probe.
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.
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