Bands Drop Out of UK Music Festival – The Mary Wallopers Controversy
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Victorious festival Faces Boycott After Palestinian Flag Incident
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A string of bands have pulled out of the Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, UK, hours before their scheduled performances, following a dispute over the display of a Palestinian flag by Irish band The Mary Wallopers.
The Last Dinner Party, Cliffords, and The Academic joined the boycott after The Mary Wallopers claimed thay where “cut off” mid-performance for displaying a Palestinian flag.
The Mary Wallopers shared a video on Instagram showing a festival crew member interfering with their performance and removing the flag, followed by the sound being cut during a chant of “Free Palestine.”
Organizers initially stated the set was cut short due to a “discriminatory” chant, but later apologized to The Mary Wallopers and announced a “substantial donation to humanitarian relief efforts for the Palestinian people.”
The Last Dinner Party stated they were “outraged by the decision made to silence The Mary Wallopers” and could not “cosign political censorship.” The Academic and Cliffords echoed these sentiments, citing the importance of free speech and support for Palestine.
The festival’s initial statement claimed they had spoken to the artist before the performance about a policy prohibiting flags, but respected their right to express views during the show.However, The Mary Wallopers dispute this account, alleging the organizers misrepresented the reason for the sound cut.
Bands Involved & Statements
| Band | Statement Summary |
|---|---|
| The Mary Wallopers | Claimed set was cut for displaying a Palestinian flag, disputed festival’s account of events. |
| The Last Dinner Party | Boycotted festival in protest of silencing The Mary Wallopers, citing political censorship. |
| Cliffords | refused to perform due to censorship of support for Palestine. |
| The Academic | Pulled out, stating they could not perform at a festival that silences free speech. |
The festival organizers issued a further statement on Instagram expressing regret over the situation with The Mary Wallopers and reiterating their commitment to supporting humanitarian relief efforts.
This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as they become available