British trip-hop band Massive Attack said its members were detained by Singapore police after a concert last week, during which a Palestinian flag was raised on stage.
In a statement posted on Instagram on Monday, the band said that parts of the crowd chanted "Free Palestine" before and at the end of the performance at the Star Theatre on July 29.
"We do not think that simply raising the flag of a sovereign state recognized by 157 countries could be in breach of any law," the Massive Attack statement read, adding that the band was "proud" of the "spontaneous expression" with fans who "clearly felt a moral obligation to show solidarity with the Palestinian people."
After the performance, the statement continued: "We were surprised and disappointed to be held back by the police, isolated, and questioned individually — some members had their hotel rooms searched and their passports temporarily confiscated."
Police last week said the band's actions "could cause damage to racial and religious harmony in Singapore," where foreign flags, national symbols, and banners cannot be displayed in public without a permit.
Authorities said two band members were given a stern warning and barred from re-entering Singapore.
Massive Attack, comprising Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall, performed with a live backing band and guest vocalists, including Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins.
Massive Attack said the police encounter in Singapore was a "surreal experience" and a "reminder of the importance of protecting universal human rights and freedom of expression."
In April, frontman Del Naja was among more than 500 people arrested by British police in London during a protest against the ban on Palestine Action, an organization labeled "terrorist" by the UK. Del Naja was arrested on suspicion of showing support for the banned group.
Also in April, a Singapore court fined three women for organizing a pro-Palestinian walk two years earlier, in which they sent a letter to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urging a severance of ties with Israel.
Singapore, a majority-Chinese nation but with a significant Muslim Malay community, has taken a non-interventionist stance since Israel began its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza in 2023, reflecting a long-standing foreign policy of being "friends to all, enemies to none."
