British band Enter Shikari call out Gaza ‘war crime’ in powerful speech during Reading set

"This is not a tragedy, it is a war crime."

The band performed on Reading’s Main Stage on Saturday (August 23), when frontman Rou Reynolds decided to address the crowd about the situation in Palestine.

He recalled how in 2010 he had worn a t-shirt displaying the words 'Free Gaza' during Enter Shikari's performance at the same festival.

Reynolds said that back then he had been learning about Palestine and how Israel "treated Palestinians like second-class citizens."

He continued: "It subjected them to constant intimidation, humiliation, subjugation, and forced them to live in what was often described as an open-air prison.

Moving on to the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Reynolds said: “That was 15 years ago. We’ve all seen just how fucking horrific things we’ve got now.

"We’ve seen the firepower equivalent of six Hiroshima atomic bombs dropped on Gaza in the last two years, every single school and university destroyed. Almost 300 journalists murdered.

“Doctors killed, maimed, detained. Children shot in the head by snipers. It has to be repeated again and again that this is not a tragedy. This is not a natural disaster. This is the coordinated mass displacement, mass starvation and mass murder of the Palestinians in Gaza. This is not a tragedy, it is a war crime.”

After sending solidarity to "the Jewish people, Muslim, Christian, Atheist, and everyone around the world who demands an end to this atrocity," Reynolds said his band would continue to ignore those who said "just play music, no politics."

He finished by paraphrasing a "great Jewish sage" Rabbi Tarfon, telling the crowd: "It is not the duty of you alone to heal this world, but you must not refrain from trying."

The powerful address was shared on X, where it has been viewed thousands of times.

Many praised Reynolds for his message, with one person saying: "Enter Shikari really care - it’s comforting to know that not everyone with some level of voice is silent on these atrocities. Also classy how Rou makes a point of separating Jewish people from Israel’s actions."

Another said: "I love Enter Shikari as they always speak out against all injustices the way they always stand for Gaza and the Palestinians!"