Taylor Swift is facing pressure from her fans to “speak out now” about the bloodshed in Gaza, with concertgoers bringing Palestinian flags to her sold-out concert in Madrid.
Members of the star’s fan base have started the hashtag ‘SwiftiesForPalestine’ as they urge the singer to break her silence on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Many have shared an open letter calling on the singer to condemn the Israeli attacks on Rafah, where 45 Palestinians, including women and children, died in a fire at a tent camp on Sunday.
The airstrikes in the area, which was designated a safe zone by Israel, sparked global condemnation, with celebrities such as pop star Dua Lipa sharing a viral ‘All eyes on Rafah’ post on their Instagram.
Swift’s longtime producer Jack Antonoff also posted the image, while the band Paramore, who are currently opening for Swift on her Era’s Tour, called on fans to support Gaza, increasing pressure on the musician. for comments.
Taylor Swift fans attended sold-out Eras show with pro-Palestinian banners and flags
American singer Taylor Swift performs on stage on the occasion of her concert ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, on May 29, 2024.
A banner brought to the show by fans read: “Taylor, take a stand!” with the hashtag SwiftiesForPalestine
One image reportedly shows a fan hanging a Palestinian flag on the balcony of her show in Madrid.
Ahead of Swift’s premiere in Madrid, Paramore asked fans to donate to Doctors Without Borders, highlighting the work the organization is doing in Gaza.
The band wrote on their Instagram story: ‘We do not believe that support for our Palestinian friends and family equals anti-Semitism.
‘We love our Jewish friends and family and pray for the safe return of the remaining hostages.
‘That said, we simply cannot support genocide. “We stand in solidarity with those calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
Swift, known for hits such as Cruel Summer and Blank Space, has been labeled one of the “most powerful women” in the world.
He has 283 million followers on Instagram, and politicians are seeking his support, which could have a big influence on the upcoming US elections.
When she was 22 years old at the beginning of her career, Swift said she would not speak out on political issues.
‘I follow it and try to stay as educated and informed as possible. But I don’t talk about politics because it could influence other people. And I don’t think I know enough yet in life to tell people who to vote for,” he told Time magazine in 2012.
He then faced backlash for not participating in important political moments in the United States, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2016 presidential election.
Pictured: Paramore’s Hayley Williams opens for Taylor Swift in Madrid
Paramore, who is currently opening for Swift on her Era’s Tour, asked fans to support Gaza, further increasing the pressure on the musician to also comment.
But he broke his rule when he went public with his anti-Donald Trump stance and support for Democrats ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
He then supported Joe Biden in the 2020 election and asked his fans to make their voices heard and vote.
“This is something that I know is right… I need to be on the right side of history,” Swift said while explaining why she wanted to share her political views in the 2020 Netflix documentary Miss Americana.
But Swift has not declared her support for Biden in the upcoming election and has since remained silent on major political issues.
A concertgoer in a sparkly dress held a sign that said “speak now” with a watermelon, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.
He now faces increasing pressure to make his views known about the conflict in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas stormed the border with Israel on October 7.
Israel previously urged Swift to speak out about the October 7 attacks, highlighting how one of the victims, 19-year-old Roni Eshel, was a “huge Swiftie.”
The teenager, who was an army observer, was initially believed to have been taken to Gaza, but was later confirmed dead.
The terrorists killed about 1,200 Israelis and took about 250 people hostage during their attack.
Israel’s brutal retaliation, which it claims is directed against Hamas, has killed more than 36,000 people in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
