Massive Attack respond to ‘surreal experience’ of being detained for displaying Palestine flag

The English band has been barred from Singapore

The Bristol band said they were detained by police and had their passports temporarily confiscated.

The band members have also been reportedly banned from re-entering the country.

The controversy comes after a gig last week in Singapore during which band members displayed the Palestine flag with chants of "Free Palestine" erupting from the crowd.

On Saturday, Singapore police said founding members Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall had been given “stern warnings” after the show on 29 July show at the Star Theatre.

Now, in response to this, the band have issued a statement saying that “we did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries (Palestine) would violate any law.”

The full statement read: "Following our performance at the Star Theatre, Singapore on 29th July, we were surprised and disappointed that our entire band was detained by the police, isolated and separately questioned - with some members subjected to hotel room searches and temporary passport confiscation”.

Massive Attack in concert. Image: Getty.

“Before we set foot on the stage and again at the end of the show, large sections of the auditorium organically led chants of ‘Free Palestine’ presumably aware but undeterred that this spontaneous expression alone could violate their government’s censorship laws.

“For our part, we did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries (Palestine) would violate any law.”

The statement continued: "On reflection, we are proud to have made this impromptu expression with our fans in Singapore who clearly felt a moral imperative to show solidarity with the people of Palestine in their ongoing reality of illegal occupation, apartheid & genocide, & we salute their courage in doing so. Right across the world, the continued inaction of the “international community” is moving citizens to personal risk.

"This surreal experience was a reminder of the importance of defending universal human rights & freedom of expression wherever those rights are threatened, including at home in the UK where, extraordinarily, we still see peaceful protestors arrested under terrorism laws for holding up handwritten signs protesting genocide - despite appeals from all sides of the political spectrum.

They added: "We’re grateful to the people of Singapore who made us feel so welcome, and hope that the Government of Singapore will choose to ratify the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights & allow their citizens expressions of conscience without fear of state prosecution.

"As we were saying ... Free Palestine."

The country’s media regulator, the Infocomm Media Development Authority, said that it “will also not grant any future application for performances by the band in Singapore in view of the entry ban”.

In Singapore, it is illegal to display all foreign flags and national emblems without a permit due to the country’s strict public speech and assembly laws.