An Italian pop band sparked controversy Thursday evening during a major May Day concert in Rome by combining a traditional Jewish folk tune with pro-Palestinian slogans, drawing criticism from some for politicizing the cultural performance.
The band I Patagari, a popular group among young Italians and runners-up in last year’s Italian edition of The X Factor, took the stage during the annual May 1 festivities, which drew tens of thousands of attendees to Rome’s central square. The concert, featuring many of the country’s top musical acts, marks International Workers’ Day, a holiday with strong cultural and political significance in Italy.
Ahead of their performance, lead singer Francesco Frazoli introduced the band’s next song as Hava Nagila, a well-known Hebrew tune often associated with Jewish celebration. Frazoli explained to the crowd that the song’s title means “let us rejoice” in Hebrew. However, he went on to frame the performance within a political message.
“Until every people can define itself, be free, and live in peace, we cannot rejoice,” he said. He then led the crowd in chanting “Free, free Palestine” as the band performed Hava Nagila in the background.
The incident follows previous similar performances by I Patagari. In April, the group played to a crowd of several thousand in Milan, where they also performed Hava Nagila while chanting slogans such as “Israel is a murderer” and “Long live Free Palestine.”
