British trip-hop band Massive Attack has been barred from re-entering Singapore after it ended a performance in the city-state with a display of the Palestinian flag, police said on Friday.
Two band members held up a Palestinian flag at the show on Wednesday and shouted “free Palestine” authorities said, with some in the audience reportedly joining them.
Authorities said the band were investigated for their “actions of support for a political cause and unfurling of a foreign flag” during their concert and will no longer be allowed to perform in Singapore, Reuters reports.
Singapore is 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.
“The police take a serious view of acts which could potentially harm the racial and religious harmony in Singapore and urge the public, including foreigners, to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law,” the police and media authority said in a joint statement as seen by the news outlet.
The Palestinian flag is especially sensitive given the war in Gaza and Singapore’s Muslim population.
The BBC reports Singapore authorities previously investigated public events related to the Israel-Gaza war. Earlier this year, they fined several people for organising an unauthorised anti-Israel walk in support of Palestinian protesters.
In April, frontman Massive Attack Robert Del Naja was among more than 200 people arrested at a protest in London’s Trafalgar Square in support of Palestine Action, an anti-Israel activist group banned by British authorities.
Massive Attack is currently on a world tour, with Wednesday’s performance their only date in Singapore. Their next show were due to be held in Seoul on Saturday night.
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