Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke abruptly left the stage during a concert on Wednesday night in Melbourne, Australia, following a heated exchange with a pro-Hamas protester who interrupted the performance with shouts about casualties in Gaza.
During Radiohead’s performance, the protester interrupted lead singer Yorke, who has historically expressed support for Israel. “200,000 have been killed in Gaza,” the protester shouted. “Half of them are children.”
Yorke immediately stopped the performance to respond.
“Don’t stand there like a coward,” he fired back. “Come here and say it. You want to ruin everyone’s evening? OK, you want to. See you.”
Yorke then walked off stage, returning several minutes later to perform one final song.
The British band has maintained a deep connection with Israel since 1993, when it released its debut album, which initially struggled to gain traction with local audiences. One of their most recognizable songs, “Creep,” particularly beloved by Israeli fans, was featured on that album.
The single began gaining popularity in Israel, leading to the band’s performance in the Jewish state, where it received widespread acclaim long before becoming one of the world’s most celebrated groups.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
