Massive Attack says members held after pro-Palestine display in Singapore

What the report says

British trip-hop band Massive Attack said police detained members of the group after a concert in Singapore last week, following an onstage display of a Palestinian flag. In an Instagram statement cited by Al Jazeera, the band said fans at the Star Theatre on July 29 chanted “Free Palestine” and that it was “proud” to make what it described as an impromptu show of solidarity with Palestinians.

According to the report, the group said it was surprised that its members were separated, questioned and, in some cases, had hotel rooms searched and passports briefly taken. Singapore police said the performance could affect racial and religious harmony in the city-state, where public display of foreign flags and emblems generally requires a permit. Authorities said two band members received stern warnings and were barred from returning to Singapore.

Massive Attack, led by Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall, has frequently linked its music to political causes. Al Jazeera noted that Del Naja was also arrested in London in April during a protest over the ban on Palestine Action. The Singapore case fits into a broader pattern of scrutiny over pro-Palestinian expression in the city-state, which has maintained a cautious public stance on the Gaza war and generally emphasizes social harmony and limits on public political demonstrations.