Massive Attack has said it was "surprised and disappointed" by its attraction by Singaporean authorities aft expressing pro-Palestine sentiments during a show successful the city-state.
The radical wrote connected Instagram connected Sunday that its members were "detained by the police, isolated and separately questioned", with immoderate taxable to edifice country searches and impermanent passport confiscation.
The band's 2 members held up a Palestinian emblem during its 29 July amusement determination and shouted "free Palestine" alongside members of the audience.
Singapore, which has stringent rules connected nationalist code and assembly, subsequently said it had indefinitely banned Massive Attack from returning to the country.
A police spokeswoman told the BBC connected Friday that the 2 set members would not beryllium allowed to re-enter Singapore and were barred from performing there.
Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall were "given stern warnings" concerning alleged offences nether 2 laws that restrict the nationalist show of overseas flags and modulate governmental expressions astatine nationalist events.
Massive Attack said that earlier the amusement and again astatine the extremity "large sections of the auditorium organically led chants of 'Free Palestine', presumably alert but undeterred that this spontaneous look unsocial could interruption their government's censorship laws".
The set did not code the prohibition directly, but described the concern arsenic a "surreal experience" and said it "did not ideate that simply holding up the emblem of a sovereign authorities recognised by 157 countries would interruption immoderate law".
It added that it was "proud to person made the impromptu expression" with fans successful Singapore, who "clearly felt a motivation imperative to amusement solidarity with the radical of Palestine".
Massive Attack is known for openly expressing its governmental stance connected a scope of issues, including the warfare successful Gaza.
Del Naja was arrested earlier this twelvemonth connected suspicion of showing enactment for the proscribed organisation Palestine Action during a protestation successful London.
The 61-year-old sat among hundreds of chap demonstrators with a motion that work "I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action".
Singapore has taken a beardown stance connected nationalist statements connected the Israel-Gaza war, with authorities successful the multicultural state insisting this was indispensable to sphere radical and societal harmony.
The location affairs ministry enactment retired a connection successful 2023 advising against "the nationalist show and wearing of articles" successful narration to the Israel-Gaza war, including overseas nationalist emblems.
Massive Attack is presently connected a satellite tour, with performances adjacent week successful Australia pursuing the extremity of its Asia leg.
The BBC has contacted the Singaporean constabulary for comment.
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