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Time of India
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Watch: Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds kisses Palestinian flag on stage, sparks firestorm
Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds sparks firestorm after kissing Palestinian flag on stage Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds has ignited a fierce online backlash after kissing a Palestinian flag on stage during the band's May 27 performance in Milan, part of their Loom World Tour. Reynolds, shirtless and visibly emotional, draped himself in the flag during the show's closing moments, waving it before tens of thousands of cheering fans and planting a kiss on it. The act, captured in multiple fan videos, immediately sparked mixed reactions across social media, with some hailing it as a bold statement of solidarity and others condemning it as a political provocation. Outrage and accusations Critics slammed Reynolds' move, accusing the band of aligning with extremism. Brigitte Gabriel, chairman of ACT for America, posted on X, "It looks like the band Imagine Dragons supports terrorism." Other users voiced similar sentiments, interpreting the flag display as a betrayal. "I actually really liked Imagine Dragons, but now it seems they genuinely hate my people. It's disgusting how people still view Palestine as a moral virtue when it's all a myth," one pro-Israel fan wrote. One particularly heated post accused the band of hypocrisy for advocating LGBTQ+ rights while allegedly supporting a territory where such rights are not protected, "Imagine Dragons ends their concert by waving their solidarity with TERRORISTS. They just called for the deaths of all gay people — and their music career." Support from pro-Palestinian fans Despite the backlash, many fans applauded the gesture. "Very nice to see more people showing support,' one Palestinian X-user wrote. Another viral post described the moment as a 'powerful gesture.' Comedian Matt Lieb chimed in with a tongue-in-cheek comment, 'Omg Radiohead has now been lapped by IMAGINE DRAGONS?!?' — referencing Thom Yorke's decision to walk off stage after a confrontation with an anti-Israel protestor last year. A complicated history This isn't the first time Imagine Dragons has found itself in the middle of the Israel-Palestine debate. The band previously faced criticism from pro-Palestinian activists for performing in Tel Aviv on August 29, 2023, just weeks before the October 7th Hamas attacks that escalated regional tensions. That same Milan concert also featured Reynolds waving a Ukrainian flag earlier in the evening, adding to the politically symbolic performance.
New York Post
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Imagine Dragons frontman kisses Palestinian flag at Milan concert sparking social media frenzy
Lead singer of pop-rock band 'Imagine Dragons' kissed the Palestinian flag on stage during a concert in Milan sparking social media controversy amongst fans across the world. A shirtless Dan Reynolds draped himself in the politically-charged pennant while taking his final bows with bandmates on May 27 during the band's Milan stop on their Loom World Tour. The frontman held up the flag to cheering fans — waving it for the tens of thousands of Italian attendees — then kissing the flag in a gesture that drew ire from many on social media. 3 Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds displaying the Palestinian flag. @JimmyJ4thewin/X Advertisement 'It looks like the band 'Imagine Dragons' supports terrorism,' ACT for America Chairman Brigitte Gabriel wrote on X. 'I actually really liked Imagine Dragons, but now it seems they genuinely hate my people. It's disgusting how people still view Palestine as a moral virtue when it's all a myth,' one user wrote on X. 3 Reynolds and Imagine Dragons guitarist Dwayne Sermon taking their bows on May 27 equipped with the Palestinian flag. @JimmyJ4thewin/X Advertisement 'Imagine Dragons ends their concert by waving their solidarity with TERRORISTS. They're calling for 'gay rights' and 'free Palestine.' Essentially, they just called for the deaths of all gay people — and their music career,' another angry pro-Israel user wrote. Bassist Ben McKee also used the stage to promote a pet cause — displaying a guitar painted like the transgender pride flag which had a heart painted in the style of a gay pride flag on its back, video showed. 3 Reynolds prior to taking his shirt off at the May 27 concert in Milan, Italy. However, many pro-Palestinian fans applauded the band's political stance Advertisement One viral pro-Palestinian post applauded the 'powerful gesture.' A Palestinian X-user wrote, 'Very nice to see more people showing support.' 'Omg Radiohead has now been lapped by IMAGINE DRAGONS?!?,' Stand-up comedian Matt Lieb wrote in another viral X post, in reference to Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke walking off stage last year when confronted by an anti-Israel protestor. Advertisement Imagine Dragons previously drew the ire of anti-Israel factions by performing in the country. On August 29, 2023, roughly one month before the October 7th Massacre, the American band performed a concert at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv despite calls for them to cancel the show. Earlier in the performance, Reynolds, still without a shirt, paraded around the stage with a Ukrainian flag, video showed.
