Massive Attack members detained in Singapore after waving Palestinian flag
Members of the band Massive Attack claim that police in Singapore searched their hotel rooms and temporarily confiscated their passports. The band members have been banned from re-entering the country following the incident.
Massive Attack claim that all members of the band were detained for questioning, and some underwent searches in their hotel rooms, while their passports were temporarily confiscated after they waved a Palestinian flag on stage during a performance in Singapore last week. According to a statement released by the band on Instagram, two band members received severe warnings from the authorities and were banned from re-entering Singapore. The authorities also indicated that they would not approve future requests by the group to perform in the country.
"After our performance, we were surprised and disappointed that our entire band was detained by the police. Some members had their hotel rooms searched and their passports confiscated," the band members wrote.
According to the group, even before they went on stage and again at the end of the performance, large parts of the audience spontaneously led chants to "free Palestine." The band stated that the audience was not deterred by the fact that this spontaneous expression might violate local censorship laws.
The British group added that they did not believe waving the flag itself would be considered an offense:
"For our part, we did not imagine that simply holding a flag of a sovereign state recognized by 157 countries — Palestine — would violate any law. Looking back, we are proud of this improvised expression with our fans in Singapore, who clearly felt a moral duty to express solidarity with the Palestinian people in their ongoing reality of illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide, and we salute their courage to do so."
Later in the statement, Massive Attack described the experience as surreal and noted that it reminded them of the importance of defending universal human rights and freedom of expression. They also reiterated their opposition to the British government's decision to define Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, a subject the group has spoken about in recent months.
Singapore maintains strict restrictions on political and public expression as part of a policy defined as maintaining social harmony. It is forbidden to display foreign flags and political symbols without written permission from the authorities, with penalties for violating the ban ranging from a fine of about 500 Singapore dollars (approximately 290 pounds) to six months in prison.
