An Irish folk music band were pulled off stage at a UK festival after starting a pro-Palestine chant.
The Mary Wallopers were performing at Victorious Festival in Portsmouth on Friday when they unfurled a Palestinian flag and began chants of ‘Free Palestine.’
The band’s microphones were quickly cut off and they were eventually ushered off the stage after performing for just 20 minutes.
However, the festival said the band were leading a ‘discriminatory’ chant and that their microphones were not cut off for chanting ‘Free Palestine’.
In a video released on social media, fans can be heard loudly booing at the empty stage.
The band quickly issued a statement on Instagram which read ‘Just got cut off at Victorious Festival for having a Palestinian flag on the stage. We’ve been doing this for 6 years now and this has never happened before. Free Palestine all day every day’.
Fans were quick to complain on social media.
One user said ‘They pulled the plug on the Mary Wallopers because they had a Palestine flag on stage. Organisers are serious cowards’.
Irish folk band The Mary Wallopers were pulled off stage at a UK festival after starting a pro-Palestine chant
The bandmates were seen waving a Palestinian flag onstage during their set at Victorious festival on Friday
Rap group Kneecap took to social media to defend the folk band
Northern Irish rap trio, Kneecap, went on social media to defend ‘our good pals the Mary Wallopers’.
In a statement posted to X they said ‘Speak up against genocide in England and you’re treated like a criminal. Up the Mary Wallopers. Free Palestine’.
Kneecap singer, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh is currently facing terrorism charges after he allegedly held up a Hezbollah flag at a London gig last year.
On Wednesday, hundreds of fans turned out to support the musician as he appeared at at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The Mary Wallopers have long been vocal about their support for Palestine.
The band was a headliner for the ‘Gig for Gaza’ aid concert which took place in November of last year.
Victorious Festival was in its first of three days of performances with The Kaiser Chiefs, Kings of Leon and Vampire Weekend all set to take the stage this weekend.
A Victorious Festival spokesperson said: ‘We spoke to the artist before the performance regarding the festival’s long-standing policy of not allowing flags of any kind at the event, but that we respect their right to express their views during the show.
X post from Kneecap in support of The Mary Wallopers
Kneecap singer, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh is currently facing terrorism charges after he allegedly held up a Hezbollah flag at a London gig last year
On Wednesday, hundreds of fans turned out to support the Kneecap singer as he appeared at at Westminster Magistrates’ Court
Crowds of protesters gather outside Westminster Magistrates Court in support of Mo Chara of the Irish hip hop group Kneecap
‘Although a flag was displayed on stage contrary to our policy, and this was raised with the artist’s crew, the show was not ended at this point, and it was the artist’s decision to stop the song.
‘The decision by the event management to cut the sound and end the performance was only taken after the band used a chant which is widely understood to have a discriminatory context.
‘To be clear, we respect the right of artists to use their platform to express their views within the inclusive nature of the event and it was not the band’s call to ‘Free Palestine’ which resulted in this outcome.’
Daily Mail has also approached Hampshire Police for comment.
It also comes after police launched a probe into the comments made by a punk band during their set at Glastonbury back in June as the Labour government ‘strongly condemned’ the scenes aired live on the BBC.
Bob Vylan, a punk duo consisting of singer and guitarist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan, led crowds in chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Death to the IDF’ on Saturday afternoon, prompting fury from supporters of Israel on social media.
The English group was streamed live by the BBC while performing directly before Irish language rap trio Kneecap, who the corporation refused to show live after controversial incidents including one of its members being charged with a terror offence.
In response, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has demanded an ‘urgent explanation’ from Tim Davie, the BBC’s Director General.
A government spokesperson said: ‘We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury.
Bob Vylan performs at the West Holts stage at the Glastonbury 2025 festival Glastonbury Festival, Day 4, UK – 28 Jun 2025
‘The Culture Secretary has spoken to the BBC Director General to seek an urgent explanation about what due diligence it carried out ahead of the Bob Vylan performance, and welcomes the decision not to re-broadcast it on BBC iPlayer.’
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive. During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.’
