DAVID DRAIMAN Addresses DISTURBED’s Netherlands Show Being Cancelled Over His IDF Photo: “We In DISTURBED Are All About Unity”

it all started when Disturbed vocalist David Draiman posted a photo of himself signing an artillery shell meant to be launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into Gaza. The image, which circulated widely on social media, triggered backlash — especially after it resurfaced during a heated online spat between Draiman and Irish pro-Palestinian rap collective Kneecap.

Things escalated further when Draiman was booed during a surprise appearance at Black Sabbath’s farewell show in Birmingham, just weeks after the incident reignited online. And then again earlier this month when Disturbed‘s show at the Vorst Nationaal on Wednesday, October 15 was cancelled.

Disturbed issued a statement at the time of the cancellation, which basically amounted to them saying “we love everyone.” Which is in direct contrast to y’know, your singer signing a fucking explosive that’s about to make paste of whoever it hits. Peace and love!

Draiman further addressed the issue during Disturbed‘s October 14 at the Ziggo Dome In Amsterdam, Netherlands (as transcribed by The PRP) and yeah, it’s more of the same. I truly cannot fathom signing an artillery shell, posting a photo of yourself doing it, refusing to take it down, and then trying to tell everyone that you love them all.

And yeah sure – a Disturbed show is inclusive or whatever. But Disturbed is a business, and the face of that business did something frankly ridiculous that a lot of people very, very clearly are pissed about.

“Look at these beautiful people. I brought my brothers up here with me because collectively, we’d like to try and say something to not just you, but to the whole world. There have been certain people out there that have been trying to put words in our mouths, trying to make you think that they know what we think about things that are going on in this world.

“So instead of listening to the people who can’t stop talking about everything that they’re so angry about all of the goddamn time, we’re going to tell you from our own mouths how we feel, okay? We in Disturbed are all about unity, Okay? We’re all about no matter who you are, no matter what walk of life you walk, no matter where you come from, no matter how much money is in your pocket, you are welcome at these shows. you understand that?

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a believer, or a non-believer. It doesn’t matter how you identify it. None of those things matter, okay? And all of the noise of this world, all the anger that so many people try and instill in us. All the people in this world who benefit so much from pitting us against each other, we refuse to be defined by those people. The noise of the world doesn’t define us. The conflicts that are going on in this world don’t define us, because in this building, there is no fucking conflict.

“And it doesn’t matter if you’re Chinese or Taiwanese. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Indian or Pakistani, it doesn’t matter whether you are Israeli or Palestinian. Everyone is welcome in our house every fucking time we take the stage. Now there is no one, no one, in the world, okay? That is celebrating this long-awaited moment and chance at real peace that we have [more than me].

“And to show the world that all the noise doesn’t matter, that all the people that try to pit us against each other don’t matter. I want you to do something for me. I want you to go ahead and take the hand of the person that’s standing next to you — every single fucking person in this arena — and I want you to raise those hands in the air, each one of you, grab the hand of the person standing next to you. Raise those hands to the sky. There is no one that gets to define us, except us, my brothers and sisters, my blood. Look around. You see my friends? Sometimes darkness can show you the light.”