Bands pull out of Portsmouth's Victorious festival after group dropped from lineup

Several bands have pulled out of Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival just hours before their scheduled performances, in protest over the treatment of Irish folk group The Mary Wallopers. The controversy began after the band claimed their set was cut short on Friday for displaying a Palestinian flag and chanting “Free Palestine.”

Artists including The Last Dinner Party, The Academic, and Cliffords announced their withdrawals on Saturday, citing censorship and solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The Last Dinner Party said they were “outraged by the decision to silence The Mary Wallopers” and accused festival organisers of “political censorship.” They also issued an apology to fans and expressed support for Palestinians.

Festival organisers initially stated that The Mary Wallopers' performance was interrupted due to a “discriminatory chant,” and pointed to a long-standing policy banning all flags for safety and event management reasons. However, they later issued a public apology and clarified the situation.

In their updated statement, Victorious organisers said they “did not handle the explanation of our policies sensitively or far enough in advance,” acknowledging that it placed both the band and staff in a “difficult situation.” They confirmed that although microphones stayed live for a time, the sound was cut for the audience as shown in a video released by the band.

The Mary Wallopers disputed the festival’s earlier explanation, accusing organisers of misleading the public. According to them, a crew member entered the stage, removed the flag, and cut the sound immediately after the chant of “Free Palestine.” They insisted the decision to stop the show was not theirs.

In solidarity, rock band The Academic said they could not “in good conscience” perform at an event that “silences free speech,” while Cliffords declared they “refuse to play if we are to be censored for showing support to the people of Palestine.”

In their apology, festival organisers praised The Mary Wallopers as “a fantastic band” and pledged to make a substantial donation to humanitarian relief efforts for the Palestinian people.

Despite the controversy, the festival’s final day is set to continue, headlined by Kings of Leon, with Bloc Party, Gabrielle, and The Reytons also on the lineup.