On Monday, Winston Marshall, the former guitarist of Mumford & Sons, expressed his profound "disappointment" regarding the music industry's silence in condemning Hamas in the wake of a grotesque antisemitic assault that unfolded in Boulder, Colorado over the weekend. During his interview on "Fox & Friends First," Marshall described the attack as both "horrific" and "hardly surprising," especially considering the recent tragic murders of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington, D.C., which occurred nearly two weeks prior.
"My frustration stems not solely from witnessing these horrendous events, but from the alarming lack of acknowledgment from some corners of our country that such incidents are even transpiring," he lamented. "When individuals talk about 'globalizing the Intifada,' what do they really mean? If mainstream groups start chanting such slogans, individuals like the perpetrator in Boulder might actually take action, inspired by these calls," he further elaborated.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, was apprehended by authorities on Sunday after allegedly setting his victims ablaze during a peaceful protest rallying for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Amidst the attack, victims ranging in age from 52 to 88 years old, heard him chanting "Free Palestine" and other anti-Israel slogans.
Marshall fiercely criticized prominent figures within the music industry for what he perceived as their failure to condemn such violent acts, while some continue to embrace pro-Palestinian messaging. Recently, the rock band Imagine Dragons sparked widespread debate on social media when their lead singer, Dan Reynolds, waved a Palestinian flag on stage during a concert in Milan, Italy.
Footage of Reynolds picking up and waving the Palestinian flag, only to later drape it across his shoulders at the concert's conclusion, garnered millions of views and evoked mixed reactions across social media platforms. Additionally, Reynolds kissed the flag and tossed it back into the eager crowd.
"I am equally disappointed by the music industry's response, an industry where I've spent a considerable portion of my career," Marshall expressed. "I must also point out that there are still 58 hostages in Gaza, with 23 presumed alive. Why aren't these protesters demanding justice against Hamas? It serves their cause. If you are pro-Palestine, you must be anti-Hamas. If you are pro-Israel, you should be anti-Hamas too. Hamas is literally murdering Palestinians. This moral inversion seems so twisted to me that I struggle to comprehend it," he continued.
Marshall concluded by highlighting the disturbing prevalence of antisemitic violence in America, describing it as an ominous sight.
