Coldplay’s Chris Martin makes Glastonbury call for peace for Israel and Palestine
Despite the sight of Palestinian flags in front of the main Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, pro-Palestine activism was very much in the background at this year's festival
Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin used the band’s record-breaking fifth headline Glastonbury festival slot to advocate for world peace, citing both “Israel” and “Palestine” to 140,000 adoring fans.
The British band was given top billing on Saturday at Worthy Farm, belting out hits including “Yellow”, “The Scientist” and “Vida La Vida”.
At one stage frontman Martin stopped the music and said: “You can send it to anyone: you can send it to your grandmother, you can send it to Israel, you can send it to Palestine, you can send it to Myanmar. You can send it to Ukraine, you can send it to beautiful Russia. You can send it anywhere – you can send it all over the world from Glastonbury.”
Other artists used the festival to make less balanced observations of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Appearing as a guest with the band Bombay Bicycle Club, Blur’s Damon Albarn spoke to the audience asking: “Are you pro -Palestine? Do you feel that’s an unfair war?”
Albarn then said it was important they vote in the election.
He said: “I don’t blame you for being ambivalent about that but it’s still really important.”
Pop artist Dua Lipa also performed on the Pyramid stage on Friday, with fans holding large Palestinian flags aloft from a position that ensured they were captured by BBC cameras filmed the festival.
But others fans managed to drape at Jewish gay pride flag in front of the Palestinian one, while another flag reading “We Came To Dance” also named the Nova festival in Israel, savagely attacked by Hamas terrorists on October 7th.
Welsh singer Charlotte Church also encouraged fans to shout “Free Palestine” during her set on one of the smaller stages.
But it would be unfair to suggest the entire festival, held over a vast site in Somerset was dominated by references to the Palestinian cause.
A debate on the need for peace in the Middle East, which took place on the LeftField stage was later praised by singer Billy Bragg.
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