Mary Wallopers Palestinian Flag Controversy
- Irish folk band The Mary Wallopers had their performance at the victorious Festival in Portsmouth, England, ended after displaying a Palestinian flag and leading a "Free Palestine" chant.
- The Mary Wallopers were performing at the Victorious Festival when they unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage and led the audience in a chant of "Free Palestine." According...
- The festival management ended the performance after the band initiated the "Free Palestine" chant, which they stated was "widely understood to have a discriminatory context." The festival clarified...
teh Mary Wallopers’ Set Cut Short at Victorious Festival After Palestine Solidarity Display
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Irish folk band The Mary Wallopers had their performance at the victorious Festival in Portsmouth, England, ended after displaying a Palestinian flag and leading a “Free Palestine” chant. Festival organizers cited a policy against flags and a subsequent chant with a “discriminatory context” as reasons for cutting the sound.
Updated: August 23, 2025, 10:00:03 AM PDT
What Happened?
The Mary Wallopers were performing at the Victorious Festival when they unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage and led the audience in a chant of “Free Palestine.” According to a statement released by the festival, organizers had previously spoken to the band about the festival’s policy prohibiting flags. while the flag display was noted, the sound was not promptly cut.
The festival management ended the performance after the band initiated the “Free Palestine” chant, which they stated was ”widely understood to have a discriminatory context.” The festival clarified that the decision to end the performance was not directly related to the “Free Palestine” call itself, but rather to the subsequent chant.
The band themselves have not yet released a detailed statement beyond their on-stage actions.
Festival’s Response and Policy
Victorious Festival maintains a long-standing policy against displaying flags at the event. A statement, as reported by the Daily Mail, emphasized that while the flag was displayed in violation of this policy, the sound was not cut until after the chant. The festival stated they respect artists’ rights to express their views within the bounds of an inclusive event.
The festival’s statement specifically addressed concerns about the chant, stating it was perceived as having a “discriminatory context.” The exact nature of this context has not been publicly elaborated upon by festival organizers.
Support for The Mary Wallopers
Irish rap trio Kneecap publicly voiced their support for The Mary Wallopers on X (formerly Twitter). In a post, Kneecap criticized the festival’s response, stating, “Speak up against genocide in England and you’re treated like a criminal. Up the Mary Wallopers.” They also included the hashtags “Free Palestine! Free the 6 counties!”
this incident has sparked debate online regarding freedom of speech, political expression at music festivals, and the appropriateness of restricting displays of solidarity with Palestine.
Context: Palestine Solidarity and Political Expression at Festivals
Displays of support for Palestine have become increasingly common at music festivals and other public events, particularly in light of ongoing conflict in the region. These displays often take the form