Disturbed has responded again to the cancellation of their show in Belgium, which was scheduled to take place last Wednesday, October 15th, at the Forest National in the Brussels region.
Mayor Charles Spapens issued a police order banning the concert. According to the website Loudersound , the cancellation is a response to vocalist David Draiman on the Gaza conflict, attributed to the fact that David autographed bombs that were sent to Israel last year. The Disturbed vocalist, who is Jewish, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel.
The band issued a statement on social media last Monday, the 13th, saying that the music “is not about what divides us” and thanking fans for their support. However, during their performance at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam last Tuesday, the 14th, David Draiman spoke again, urging the audience to join him in a show of unity [transcription via Loudersound ]: “The conflicts that are happening in this world do not define us.”
Disturbed's speech
The band shared the video of the speech on social media, showing all the members together, holding hands. “Instead of listening to people who can’t stop talking about everything that makes them so angry all the time, we’re going to tell you, from our own mouths, how we feel. We in Disturbed are all for unity, okay? We’re all for it, no matter who you are, no matter what your life story is, no matter where you come from. No matter how much money you have in your pocket, you’re welcome at these shows. Got it?” David said after much applause.
He continued: “All the anger that so many people try to instill in us, all the people in this world who benefit so much from pitting us against each other. We refuse to be defined by those people. The noise of the world does not define us.”
Then the vocalist said: “The conflicts happening in this world don’t define us, because in this building there is no conflict whatsoever. And it doesn’t matter if you’re Chinese or Taiwanese. It doesn’t matter if you’re Indian or Pakistani, it doesn’t matter if you’re Israeli or Palestinian. Everyone is welcome in our home whenever we go on stage.”
Finally, David asked the audience to hold hands with the people next to them and raise them in the air as a symbol of hope and unity. “Do you see, my friends? Sometimes, darkness can reveal the light.”
Controversy surrounding David Draiman
This is not the first time David Draiman has faced the consequences of his actions. The audience greeted the vocalist with many boos during his appearance at Back To The Beginning , Black Sabbath's farewell show.
David Draiman was surprised by the audience's reaction. However, the booing was also attributed to the fact that David Draiman had autographed bombs that were sent to Israel.
Previously, he called Roger Waters a "monster" and "anti-Semite to the core," and declared in 2022 that he "doesn't give a damn" if Waters alienated people with his pro-Israel stance. Recently, he criticized Green Day after the band changed the lyrics of the song "Palestine" during their recent Coachella performance.
READ ALSO: David Draiman of Disturbed criticizes Tom Morello for supporting Kneecap: "Shameful"
