Hozier: OVO Arena Removing Fan’s Free Palestine Scarf Was ‘Misunderstanding,’ Not His Instruction

OVO Arena Wembley came under fire in December when Hiba Ahmad, a Hozier fan, reported having her Free Palestine scarf confiscated by security while attending the singer’s Unreal Unearth tour. At the time, the venue informed the attendee that they were acting on the instruction of Hozier’s camp. They have since issued an apology via social media and clarified that “the decision to stop the guest was not following artist wishes.”

In response to the arena’s acknowledgment of the issue, Hozier wrote: “Thank you to OVO Arena Wembley for clearing up this misunderstanding. The team and I have zero policy of prohibiting signs of any kind and I’m sorry to Hiba and her friends that they experienced this at the London show.”

Ahmad detailed her experience at OVO Arena in a thread on X (formerly Twitter) the night of the concert. “So tell me why I got pulled aside and ESCORTED to wardrobe w/ a body cam for wearing a Palestine solidarity scarf at @Hozier’s concert?” she began. “Not even a kiffiyeh, just a Free Palestine scarf that I literally wear everywhere as a show of solidarity AND BECAUSE IT IS FUCKING COLD!”

Ahmad went on to detail her interactions with security at the event, including one exchange where she recalled being told “They are taking my scarf for my own protection as I might get ‘hate crimed’ [sic] for wearing it.” She added: “@Hozier, the arena insisted it was your team who demanded this.”

Hozier responded directly to Ahmad within hours, writing: “Hi Hiba, thanks for bringing this to our attention. We’re looking into this with the venue, but I can state categorically that no request came from me about this, and my tour gave no directive about refusing entry of certain items of clothing or indeed flags. Thank you.”

A few days later, Ahmad shared an update after speaking with the OVO Arena general manager, who assured her the scarf was not against venue policy. She was once again told that security had acted “on the orders of Hozier’s tour manager who had insisted on removing any and all references to Palestine in the arena.”

But OVO Arena Wembley’s full statement in response to the incident, shared on Feb. 22, walked this back. “This was an isolated incident where venue policy wasn’t followed as intended,” it read. “The decision to stop the guest was not following artist wishes. We have apologised to those involved and are making a donation to the UNICEF Children In Gaza Appeal.”

Last week, during a performance in Mexico City, Hozier delivered a speech calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and urging fans to contact their local representatives.