Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson clarifies stance on Palestine after Madrid gig incident: “No more killing”
Sleaford Mods frontman Jason Williamson has clarified his stance on the Israel-Hamas war after the band recently cut short a concert in Madrid.
The duo were playing at La Riviera in the Spanish capital earlier this month but decided to end the show early, after a Palestinian scarf was repeatedly thrown onstage.
The band subsequently addressed the situation on X, formerly Twitter, Williamson writing: “Don’t be asking me to pick sides for something I ain’t got any real idea about, at a gig. I’m a singer. My job is music. The only real thing I know about War is that I’m sick and tired of premature death like we all are. Of the murder of anyone, under whatever fucking belief grid.”
He has now addressed the incident again in a new tweet this afternoon (November 13).
#nomorekilling #meaningfulceasefirenow pic.twitter.com/k8LF0cU2Yc
— Sleaford Mods (@sleafordmods) November 13, 2023
He wrote: “Some context is needed about Madrid. I’m horrified by the atrocities committed in Gaza and Israel and I’m horrified by the atrocities committed elsewhere in the world that are not in the current news cycle.
“I’m angry about the manipulation of human grief and rage by politicians, the media, agitators, and social media platforms to stoke the fire of separation, dehumanisation, division and hate.
“In Madrid the show was repeatedly interrupted by someone in the audience shouting and throwing a flag/scarf on stage. I stopped the show to make comment, condemned civilian deaths and called for no more killing.”
Williamson went on to say that “this wasn’t enough and the interruptions continued. I walked off stage after 80 minutes as the cumulative effect was distracting and upsetting.”
He added: “The tweet in the aftermath was an attempt to apologise to those at the show, not comment widely on the ongoing atrocities. I’m as overwhelmed as you are and I don’t have the answers, all I know is we are all human and there needs to be a meaningful ceasefire. The slaughter needs to stop. No more. No more killing. NO MORE.”
It comes after Bob Vylan recently called out the band and IDLES for not speaking out in support of Palestinians.
Enter Shikari, The Last Dinner Party and Architects are among a group of musicians who’ve also signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire as the war in Israel and Gaza continues.
Earlier this month Macklemore delivered a speech at a pro-Palestine rally calling the conflict a “genocide”, while Dua Lipa, Killer Mike, Michael Stipe and more wrote an open letter to President Biden, demanding “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost.”
Benefits also shared a powerful statement regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as well as Armistice Day last Friday (November 10).
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Damian Jones
NME
