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During the curtain call of the season finale of Il Trovatore at London’s Royal Opera House on Saturday evening, a member of the opera’s chorus unexpectedly raised a Palestinian flag onstage, igniting a brief onstage scuffle.
The incident occurred as the performers took their bows before an applauding audience. Social media footage captured the chorus member holding the unfurled flag prominently across his chest while lead singers acknowledged the crowd.
Attempts were made by an individual backstage to remove the flag, but the chorus member resolutely kept the flag displayed.
Fancy a night at the prestigious Royal Opera House? Culture, art and enjoyment, away from the tedium of relentless Palestinianism, forced down your throats outside on the streets of London? No chance.
That flag is everywhere, and YOU WILL COMPLY!
A ridiculous cult of vanity. pic.twitter.com/qRfwEzIvki
— Joo🎗️ (@JoosyJew) July 20, 2025
The Royal Opera House swiftly condemned the display as “unauthorized” and “wholly inappropriate,” emphasizing that the act was not sanctioned by the company. However, officials declined to disclose whether the performer involved would face any disciplinary consequences.
This event echoes a pattern of recent political demonstrations in the UK arts scene, notably at the Glastonbury Festival last month, where various artists including Kneecap, Bob Vylan, Wolf Alice, and Amyl and The Sniffers delivered anti-Israel messages. Authorities continue investigating Bob Vylan’s frontman after he led a chant demanding “Death to the IDF.”
Additionally, Liam O’Hanna — known as Mo Chara from Kneecap — faces terror-related charges linked to alleged support for Hamas and Hezbollah following previous performances.
The Royal Opera House incident reflects a troubling trend where antisemitism is increasingly becoming normalized within cultural institutions, raising urgent questions about the boundaries of artistic expression and the responsibility of these venues to reject hate.
