The statement, shared on the band’s official Instagram, opens with a much darker account of what happened at The Star Theatre on 29 July. According to Massive Attack, their entire band was detained by police after the show. Additionally, they were isolated and separately questioned. Furthermore, some members were subjected to hotel room searches and temporary passport confiscation. “We were surprised and disappointed,” the group wrote.
Furthermore, the band pushed back on the framing of the incident. Notably, they described the flag as belonging to “a sovereign state recognised by 157 countries” and said they never imagined that displaying it would violate any law. Additionally, they revealed that large sections of the auditorium organically led chants of “Free Palestine” both before and after the show.
Meanwhile, the group framed the moment in wider political terms. “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,” they wrote. Beyond that, they described the current situation in the region as “illegal occupation, apartheid & genocide” and criticised the “continued inaction of the international community.” They also drew a parallel to the UK, where peaceful protestors have recently been arrested under terrorism laws for holding handwritten signs.
Ultimately, the closing was diplomatic and defiant in equal measure. “We’re grateful to the people of Singapore who made us feel so welcome,” they wrote. Furthermore, they called on the Government of Singapore to ratify the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Additionally, they urged the country to “allow their citizens expressions of conscience without fear of state prosecution.” Notably, the last words of the statement: “As we were saying… Free Palestine.”
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