Imagine Dragons applauded for waving Palestinian flag in concert

Rock band Imagine Dragons has gone viral after lead singer Dan Reynolds waved a Palestinian flag during their concert in Milan, Italy.

The moment took place at the end of their performance, leaving fans and social media users with plenty to talk about.

Videos of Dan Reynolds picking up the Palestinian flag, waving it and later draping it over his shoulders quickly spread across social platforms.

In some clips, he is also seen kissing the flag before throwing it back into the crowd. The bold gesture from Imagine Dragons caught attention worldwide and sparked mixed reactions.

Palestinian supporters praised the band for standing up and showing solidarity.

One viral post called it a “powerful gesture,” while others thanked Imagine Dragons for the support. Another account simply wrote, “Very nice to see more people showing support.”

Even those who usually criticise the band’s music joined in to acknowledge the political move.

Comedian Matt Lieb joked on X (formerly Twitter), “Radiohead has now been lapped by Imagine Dragons!?” – referring to a previous incident when Radiohead clashed with an anti-Israel protester.

Some also described Imagine Dragons as part of a “very short list of respectable celebs” for taking a public stance on a sensitive issue.

This show of support for Palestinians follows earlier backlash the band faced for performing in Israel in August 2023, just before the October 7 incident.

At that time, Imagine Dragons were criticised by some for not boycotting the country.

Speaking to Rolling Stone in July 2024, Reynolds said he had no regrets: “I don’t believe in depriving our fans… because of the acts of their leaders and their governments.” He added that it’s a slippery slope deciding where to draw the line.

With this recent act, Imagine Dragons have once again placed themselves at the centre of global political debate.