Sleaford Mods release statement on Madrid show that was cut short after Palestinian scarf thrown onstage

Sleaford Mods cut their November 3 show in Madrid short after someone in the crowd threw a Palestinian scarf onstage multiple times. Frontman Jason Williamson wrote in a tweet just after the show, “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.”

That tweet was widely criticized online, with people noting that many of Sleaford Mods songs are political in nature. Williamson has now released a new statement, saying “some context is needed about Madrid”:

I’m horrified by the atrocities committed in Gaza and Israel and l’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.

This wasn’t enough and the interruptions continued. I walked off stage after 80 minutes as the cumulative effect was distracting and upsetting.

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.

Jason