Pink denies flying Israel flag at concert in ‘controversial’ post: ‘I pray for all of us’
Singer claims she’s received ‘many threats’ after claims that she shows support for Israel during concert
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Your support makes all the difference.Pink has denied reports she waved an Israel flag during her American tour, telling fans that she only flies the rainbow flag in specific support of a community.
The “Raise Your Glass” singer is currently on the North American leg of her Summer Carnival tour, following shows across the UK and Europe this summer.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Saturday 7 October, many celebrities and public figures have voiced their distress at the violence in both regions.
On Tuesday (17 October), it was reported that at least 49 Palestinians were killed in an overnight strike that hit homes in Khan Younis and Rafah.
After it was recently claimed on social media that some blue and white flags were flown in solidarity with Israel at Pink’s show, the 44-year-old performer issued a statement of neutrality.
“This post will be controversial for some. At this point, breathing is controversial,” she began her post on X/Twitter on Monday (16 October).
“I am getting many threats because people mistakenly believe I am flying Israeli flags in my show. I am not. I have been using Poi flags since the beginning of this tour. These were used many, many years ago by the Māori people in New Zealand and because they and the Māori people are beautiful to me, we use them.”
During her show, some dancers wave long flags with white, light blue and dark blue streaks. With Israel’s flag colours also being white and blue, some people took this action as solidarity with the Middle Eastern country.
“I do not fly flags in my show in support of anything or anyone except the rainbow flag,” Pink continued. “That will remain my position. I am a human. I believe in peace. Equality. Love. I am deeply saddened by the state of the world. I pray for all of us.”
In response, fans have applauded the “So What” singer for sharing her view, while others have disputed her claim about the Poi flag being a symbol of Maori culture.
“When your neutrality is so powerful that you invent a new aspect of Māori culture,” quipped one New Zealand-based X/Twitter user, while another added: “As a Maori, I am so confused over this tweet.”
Other celebrities who have used their platforms to share their stance on the actions in Israel and Gaza, including Justin Bieber and Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp.
Schnapp, 19, condemned his Instagram followers for their responses to a post regarding a girl’s death at a music festival, while Bieber shared, then deleted, a post in support of Israel featuring an image of Gaza destruction.
Elsewhere, the actor and musician Riz Ahmed has called for an “end to the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza’s civilians and vital infrastructure” after Israel declared war against Hamas and began rolling airstrikes on the strip.
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