Massive Attack band says Singapore police detained, questioned them after concert
Police said the display could harm racial and religious harmony, and two members were barred from re-entering Singapore after stern warnings.
- On Wednesday, Singapore authorities detained Massive Attack members Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall, seizing passports and banning them from re-entering after they displayed a Palestinian flag at the Star Theatre concert.
- Singapore's strict laws prohibit foreign flag displays without permits; the home ministry advised against symbols related to the war in Gaza to preserve social harmony. Massive Attack has boycotted Israel since 1999 to pressure the government.
- Describing the detention as a "surreal experience," Massive Attack reported they were isolated and questioned while auditorium crowds chanted "Free Palestine." The group said they were "surprised and disappointed" by the response.
- The Infocomm Media Development Authority confirmed it will not grant future performance applications for the band, citing the entry ban. Authorities issued "stern warnings" to Del Naja and Marshall for violating public assembly laws.
- Drawing parallels to the UK, the band criticized the government's response to pro-Palestinian activism, noting more than 3,500 arrests under terrorism laws since 2025. They urged Singapore to ratify the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
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122 Articles
Palestinian Flag Wave, Career-Sized Consequence | Fresh Off The Press
Singapore just proved how far some governments will go to crush political speech, banning a British band for waving a Palestinian flag onstage. Story Snapshot Singapore banned Massive Attack’s two core members from re-entering the country after a concert. Police say the band displayed a Palestinian flag and shouted “Free Palestine,” breaching license rules. Authorities issued stern warnings under laws that control foreign flags and public order…
The British gang claims that the police isolated her and interrogated her after the July 29 concert, searched her rooms and temporarily confiscated her passports.
UK band banned from Singapore
Singapore has banned the two core members of British band Massive Attack from re-entering the country after they displayed a Palestinian flag and expressed support for the Palestinian cause during their concert in the city-state last week.Singapore police said in a statement that the two men were in
'Passports Confiscated': Massive Attack Detained and Banned From Singapore Over Palestine Flag
British trip-hop group Massive Attack has accused Singapore police of detaining and questioning members of the band after a Palestinian flag was displayed during a concert in the city-state, with two founding members now barred from returning to the country. The dispute follows the band's performance at The Star Theatre on 29 July, after which Singapore authorities investigated what they described as an unlawful public display of a foreign flag …
The Massive Attack reacted to the ban on entering Singapore again by the local authorities, after having displayed a Palestinian flag during a concert in the country: "We hope that the Singapore government will ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations and allow its citizens to express their conscience without fear."
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