Chart-topping rock band sparks major backlash after waving Palestinian flag on stage
Imagine Dragons is facing major backlash after frontman Dan Reynolds triumphantly waved a Palestinian flag on stage during a recent concert in Milan.
The American rock band - known for hits like 'Radioactive' and 'Demons' - was performing at the I-Days Festival when Reynolds held the flag aloft and draped it over his shoulders before kissing it before tossing it into the crowd.
The moment quickly went viral, sparking immediate outrage and igniting a storm of condemnation on social media.
'Disgusting and shameful,' wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter.
'It looks like the band "Imagine Dragons" supports terrorism,' said ACT for America Chairman Brigitte Gabriel.
'Imagine Dragons ends their concert by waving their solidarity with TERRORISTS. They're calling for " gay rights" and "free Palestine."' another user wrote.
'Essentially, they just called for the deaths of all gay people - and their music career.'
Many accused the band of politicizing a music event and showing bias in the ongoing and deeply contentious Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
'Disgusting. Why can't performers just stick to performing?' one person asked.
'Politics and music have no place together,' another commented.
'Musicians should stick to their music. Mixing politics with music is unnecessary,' wrote another user on X.
Critics also pointed to the band's past controversies.
In 2023, Imagine Dragons faced criticism for performing in Israel and Azerbaijan, in August 2023, before the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
Reynolds later defended the band's decisions, saying he didn't want to punish fans for the actions of governments.
'I don't believe in depriving our fans who want to see us play because of the acts of their leaders and their governments. I think that's a really slippery slope,' Reynolds told Rolling Stone in July 2024.
'I think the second you start to do that, there's corrupt leaders and warmongers all over the world, and where do you draw the line?'
Now, critics argue the Milan gesture contradicts that stance.
'He said he doesn't play politics with fans -but that flag is politics,' one commenter posted.
Others demanded an apology, with some threatening to boycott future concerts or delete the band's music.
'I deleted their entire library today. Even some collabs with other artists,' one user wrote.
'This will hopefully lead to a serious fan base cut,' commented another.
Still, not all the response was negative, pro-Palestinian advocates and many international fans praised the act as a show of solidarity amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Imagine Dragons was 'applauded worldwide' for the gesture, with some calling it 'one of the bravest acts by a mainstream artist,' the Daily Times reported.
'You just gained a lifelong fan,' one supporter commented.
Another added, 'They stood up for human rights when others stayed silent.'
Bassist Ben McKee also used the stage to promote LGBTQ+ causes, playing a guitar painted with the transgender pride flag and a heart in the style of the gay pride flag on its back, video showed.
As of now, neither Reynolds nor the band has issued a formal statement on the controversy.
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