Fans Walk Out of Hozier Concert in New York After Irish Singer Accuses Israel of ‘Genocide,’ Calls for ‘Free Palestine’

SHIRYN GHERMEZIAN

Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, better known as Hozier, is performing on the first day of the EstereoPicnic festival in Bogota, Colombia. Photo: Daniel Garzon Herazo via Reuters Connect

Some audience members at Hozier’s concert on Tuesday night in New York reportedly staged a walkout after the Irish singer commented on the Israel-Hamas war by accusing the Jewish state of committing “genocide.”

The “Take Me to Church” singer, whose real name is Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, made the remarks during a performance at Forest Hills Stadium, one of four consecutive sold-out shows at the venue, as part of a tour for his new album “Unreal Earth.” He performed at the stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday and will perform again on Friday and Saturday, becoming the first artist ever to play four consecutive sold-out shows at Forest Hills Stadium.

During the introduction to his song “Nina Cried Power” during his Tuesday night concert, the Grammy winner told the crowd: “We wouldn’t want to see anybody subjected to the kind of violence, indiscriminate bombing, that we are seeing on our TV screens. The kind of assault that Rafah’s facing and the genocidal violence that Rafah’s facing. And in the same way that people are showing up at the moment, saying, we would want to be represented to our democratic representation — we want to be represented in that compassion, and in that human witness and in that law.”

Israel began its military operation in Rafah early last month and has been targeting Hamas terrorists and compounds in the southern Gaza city. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has been taking measures to minimize the risk of civilian casualties, which include evacuating one million Palestinians from Rafah and establishing a temporary refuge outside the Rafah corridor for Gazan civilians.

“And we wouldn’t want to see us, our tax dollars, enabling that kind of violence — enabling that kind of war,” added Hozier, according to videos from his speech that were shared on social media. “We wouldn’t want to see that for anybody, it doesn’t matter where you come from. Whether you are a Palestinian or you are an Israeli citizen. We want anybody to live in peace, security, and safety. And that would also mean seeing Palestine free from occupation, free to pursue meaningful self-determination and statehood.”

Hozier also applauded the anti-Israel protests taking place at colleges and universities around the US.

The Mirror reported that although the majority of the crowd at Tuesday night’s concert cheered on Hozier’s comments, other attendees who were upset by his remarks walked out before the show ended. Videos from social media show that Hozier made similar remarks during his concert on Wednesday night.

The “Too Sweet” singer has made pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel comments at his previous shows as well, again accusing Israel of “genocidal violence” and talking about the alleged “onslaught that Palestinians are facing in Rafah.”

Hozier’s native Ireland has been one of the harshest critics of Israel since the war began last October.

Last month, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized a Palestinian state. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military actions amid its war against Hamas terrorists.