Massive Attack Respond to Singapore Ban Over Displaying Palestinian Flag

Massive Attack have posted an Instagram statement saying they were “surprised and disappointed” by their treatment at the hands of Singaporean authorities last week. Police detained the band after group members Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall waved the Palestinian flag during a July 29th concert, resulting in a ban from the country. The trip-hop legends revealed that the entire group was “isolated and separately questioned” by police, who further subjected some members to hotel room searches and temporarily confiscated passports. In their statement, Massive Attack recalled how “large sections” of the crowd “organically led chants of ‘Free Palestine’ presumably aware but undeterred that this spontaneous expression alone could violate their government’s censorship laws.” Massive Attack added that they “did not imagine that merely holding up the flag of a sovereign state recognized by 157 countries (Palestine) would violate any law.” In Singapore, the Foreign National Emblems (Control of Display) Act prohibits the public display of flags without a permit or exemption, carrying a penalty of a fine of up to S$500 ($390), up to six months in jail, or both penalties. Del Naja and Marsh...