ALBAWABA - UK's Victorious Festival recently apologized after cutting off Irish folk band The Mary Wallopers' set for raising the Palestinian flag during their performance.
A Victorious Festival spokesperson revealed that the band's performance was cut short after making a "discriminatory" chant, prompting an opposing response from The Mary Wallopers, who took to Instagram with a lengthy statement.
The opposing statement read, "Yesterday, a famine was declared in Gaza, where at least 65 people were killed by Israeli attacks, all the while Israel pushed ahead with plans to split the West Bank in two. These are the important facts about yesterday."
"We are uploading this video so everybody can see @victoriousfestival cut our gig short for having a Palestinian flag on stage."
UK festival donates to Palestine after cutting The Mary Wallopers performance
The Mary Wallopers called the festival's statement "misleading," claiming further that the "discriminatory" chant was the band's call to "Free Palestine."
In response to the backlash, Victorious Festival's statement claimed that the band was warned about their no-flag policy, which was implemented to minimize safety concerns. The festival added that it supports the artists' freedom to express their views on stage and apologized for putting both the band and its team in a difficult situation.
Victorious Festival's statement added that it will be making a "substantial donation to humanitarian relief efforts for the Palestinian people."
Fellow artists such as Kneecap, Academic, and Clifford took to The Mary Wallopers' defense with statements on their official social media accounts.
Kneecap wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "Speak up against genocide in England and you’re treated like a criminal. Up the Mary Wallopers."
Both Academic and Clifford also announced pulling out of the event.
