Irish Folk Band The Mary Wallopers Muted at UK Festival for Displaying Palestinian Flag and Pro-Palestine Chant

Irish folk group The Mary Wallopers allege they were silenced during their performance at the Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, England on Friday, due to displaying a Palestinian flag on stage.

In a post on Instagram, the band stated that they had been cut off mid-performance for expressing a pro-Palestinian sentiment, claiming this was an unprecedented occurrence after six years of performances. The post read: “Free Palestine all day every day.”

However, festival organizers dispute the band’s account, asserting that event management halted the sound due to the use of a chant perceived as discriminatory in context. According to their statement, the flag display initially did not prompt immediate action, but it was only after the controversial chant was employed that the performance was terminated.

A video posted by the band on Instagram shows their banjo player Andrew Hendy starting the set with “Free Palestine, and f**k Israel,” followed by the removal of a Palestinian flag affixed to one of their speakers by a stagehand. Hendy is heard encouraging audience members to leave the festival grounds before his microphone was cut.

Later footage reveals The Mary Wallopers’ guitarist Charles Hendy inquiring about whether they could continue playing, to which the response suggests the Palestinian flag needed to be taken down. In response, Charles Hendy announces their decision to cease performing. As they departed the stage, audience members began chanting “Free Palestine” and “Let them play!”

Emma Gaynor, an attendee at the concert, shared that people were visibly upset and angry, but she didn’t hear anything discriminatory during the incident. Another spectator, Jess Huxham, mentioned that other bands performing at the festival that day had also voiced pro-Palestinian sentiments during their sets.

This incident unfolds amidst ongoing debate surrounding pro-Palestinian activism and free speech in the UK, with musicians frequently playing a significant role. Previously, rap duo Bob Vylan faced scrutiny after chanting “Death to the IDF” at their Glastonbury Festival set in June, leading to a police investigation in the UK and visa revocations for the band members ahead of their planned US tour.