Pink releases ‘controversial’ statement after receiving ‘many threats’

The US pop star has released a blunt message after receiving a horrifying response to a detail within her shows.

Pink has released a statement to fans after being mistakenly dragged into the heated conversations surrounding the war between Israel and Hamas.

In a post shared on X – formerly Twitter – on Sunday night, the Grammy Award-winning pop star, 44, explained that she’d been using the Māori “poi flags” in her shows for months.

They’re blue and white – the same colours as Israel’s flag – which sparked the backlash as many believed it was a show of support for the country in its war against Hamas.

“At this point, breathing is controversial. I am getting many threats because people mistakenly believe I am flying Israeli flags in my show. I am not,” Pink (real name Alecia Moore) said.

“I have been using Poi flags since the beginning of this tour. These were used many, many years ago by the Māori people in New Zealand and because they and the Māori people are beautiful to me, we use them,” she explained, adding that, “I do not fly flags in my show in support of anything or anyone except the rainbow flag. That will remain my position.”

Pink was mistakenly thought to be supporting Israel during her shows. Picture: AAP Image /Brendon Thorn

Israeli soldiers ride in their armoured vehicles towards the border with the Gaza Strip on October 16. Picture: Menahem Kahana/AFP

She finished up by declaring: “I am human. I believe in peace. Equality. Love. I am deeply saddened by the state of the world. I pray for all of us.”

Pink recently wrapped up her 41-date stadium tour.

Her statement came after fans at one of her shows posted footage showing her backup dancers waving blue and white flags behind her.

This post will be controversial for some. At this point, breathing is controversial. I am getting many threats because people mistakenly believe I am flying Israeli flags in my show. I am not. I have been using Poi flags since the beginning of this tour. These were used many,…

— P!nk (@Pink) October 16, 2023

The Israeli government’s official Twitter account responded to the images, publicly thanking Pink for her apparent support of their country amid their conflict with Hamas.

It comes amid fears of an all-out war as Israeli troops are preparing for a ground invasion, seeking vengeance for a surprise offensive by Hamas on October 7.

The Hamas attack saw fighters shoot, stab and burn to death more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians. Israel’s reprisal attacks in the days since have flattened neighbourhoods and killed at least 2,670 people in Gaza, the majority ordinary Palestinians.

Meanwhile, more than one million people have now fled their homes in Gaza in scenes of chaos and despair as Israel bombarded the Hamas-ruled territory and continued massing troops today in preparation for a full-blown ground invasion.

In the wake of the fresh wave of violence, celebrities including Natalie Portman, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld, Gal Gadot and Amy Schumer have shared their support for Israel on social media.

Jamie Lee Curtis was also among the high-profile Israel supporters, but was forced to delete her message after being called out for an embarrassing oversight.

Among the Oscar-winning actress’ flurry of posts about the conflict was an image of terrified children staring at missiles in the sky, which she shared alongside an Israel flag.

“Terror from the skies,” she wrote, in a bid to encourage support for the Middle Eastern country.

However, the photographer behind the image, Samar Abu Elouf, quickly clarified that it actually showed Palestinian children in Gaza in the photo, who could be seen running from bombs being counter-launched by Israel.

Curtis was forced to quickly delete her post. Picture: Instagram

Grief and terror has enveloped the region amid the fresh wave of violence. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

Meanwhile, half-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid, who has been a longtime advocate for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement alongside her sister Bella Hadid, described the ongoing devastation in the region as an “unjustifiable tragedy”, and threw her support behind Palestine’s struggle while also condemning the violence that had arisen as a result of the attacks.

“I have deep empathy for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it’s a responsibility I hold daily,” she wrote last week.

“I also feel a responsibility to my Jewish friends to make it clear, as I have before: While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person.

“The terrorising of innocent people is not in alignment with and does not do any good for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement.

“The idea that it does has fuelled a painful, decades-long cycle of back and forth retaliation (which no innocent civilian, Palestinian or Israeli, deserves to be a casualty of) and helps perpetuate the false idea that being Pro-Palestine = antisemitic.”

Originally published as Pink releases ‘controversial’ statement after receiving ‘many threats’