Massive Attack Vowed 'Free Palestine'; Singapore Bans Band Over Flag Display


Massive Attack expressed surprise and disappointment after Singaporean authorities detained the band following a pro‑Palestine statement at a recent concert.


The group posted on Instagram that Friday night the pair were “detained by the police, isolated and separately questioned,” with a hotel room search and temporary passport confiscation.


During the 29 July show, frontman Robert Del Naja and guitarist Grant Marshall raised a Palestinian flag, shouting “Free Palestine” alongside the audience.


Singapore, which enforces strict regulations on public speech and assembly, has indefinitely banned Massive Attack from returning to the country. A police spokeswoman confirmed that the two members will not be allowed to re‑enter Singapore and will be barred from performing there.


The band says the protest was a spontaneous expression of solidarity with the people of Palestine and “did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries would violate any law.”


Their Instagram post, which has attracted 146,000 likes, has been flooded with fan support, with many expressing that Singapore’s culture of silence has limited critical speech in a “surreal” way.


A Singapore content creator, Crystal Lim‑Lange, wrote that while artists must respect local laws, art has historically challenged ideas and sparked “difficult conversations.”



The band is currently on a world tour, with concerts in Australia scheduled for next week after completing its Asia leg. The BBC has reached out to Singaporean police for comment.


Related topics: Asia, Singapore, Israel & the Palestinians