Damon Albarn displays Palestinian flag at Gorillaz US tour opener

Damon Albarn, frontman of Gorillaz, used the opening of the band’s North American tour at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, to make a political statement regarding the conflict in Gaza. During the performance, Albarn took a Palestinian flag from an audience member and urged the crowd to ‘never be neutral’ and to ‘stand your position.’

This gesture follows a recent controversy involving rapper Macklemore, who was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after delivering a ‘Free Palestine’ speech. The removal, reportedly influenced by pressure from the Kraft Group, led to several other musicians withdrawing from Sheeran’s upcoming shows in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran has since addressed the situation, acknowledging the complexity of the debate regarding artists' freedom of expression and the political tensions surrounding the issue.