This put the band and our own team in a difficult situation which never should have arisen. We would like to sincerely apologise to all concerned. We absolutely support the right of artists to freely express their views from the stage, within the law and the inclusive nature of the event. Our policy of not allowing flags of any kind, which has been in place for many years for wider event management and safety reasons, is not meant to compromise that right.
The scenes in Gaza have moved beyond description. We write as artists who've chosen to use our public platforms to speak out against the genocide occurring there and the role of the UK government in facilitating it.