Massive Attack, arrested in Singapore after waving a Palestinian flag at their concert

The British band Massive Attack has denounced that, after their performance on July 29 in Singapore, its members were detained and interrogated by authorities of the country for closing the concert with a Palestinian flag.

“For our part, we did not imagine that the mere fact of raising the flag of a sovereign State recognized by 157 countries (Palestine) could violate any law. Thinking about it, We are proud to have carried out this action spontaneously with our followers in Singapore,” they said.

In a statement on their Instagram account, the band has assured that the police “isolated and interrogated” separately, and that some members had their hotel rooms searched and their passports temporarily confiscated.

During the concert, the band explained, “broad sectors of the public” They would have sung chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and in that sense the band continued raising the flag.

“They clearly felt the moral obligation to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in the face of the current reality of illegal occupation, apartheid and genocide, and we applaud your bravery in doing so,” explains the British band about the public’s gesture.

Thus, they have highlighted that the “inaction” of the international community is “leading citizens to take personal risks. “This surreal experience has reminded us the importance of defending universal human rights and freedom of expression wherever such rights are threatened, including in our own country, the United Kingdom, where, incredibly, we continue to see peaceful protesters detained under anti-terrorism laws for displaying handwritten signs protesting against genocide,” added Massive Attack.

The band ended by thanking the people of Singapore for giving them “made to feel so welcome” and hoping that the Government of Singapore “will decide to ratify the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and allow its citizens to express themselves according to their conscience.” without fear of being persecuted by the State”.