Pop singer Dua Lipa cried on stage this week as LGBTQ fans attending her concert were forcefully dragged out by police, ostensibly for “standing up” during the show. But many who were there say the real reason was that the fans were waving rainbow flags.
Multiple videos have been posted on social media that offer glimpses of the disturbance, which took place in Shanghai, China.
At @DUALIPA 's shanghai tour, few people been kicked out by the safeguard because they're waving Rainbow Flag #Dualipa #LGBT pic.twitter.com/3zhWXnaadK
— SubwaySucker (@dr_jolin) September 12, 2018
New vid here. They’ve been dragged out with no dignity,Dua cried on the stage pic.twitter.com/pRD0qJMmG3
— SubwaySucker (@dr_jolin) September 12, 2018
As she witnessed her fans being forcefully removed, Dua Lipa was visibly shaken on stage, tearing up and telling the crowd she wants to create a “safe environment.” “[I] would love in these last few songs for us to really, really, really enjoy ourselves. How about that?”
Dua Lipa Cried In Shanghai China Tonight pic.twitter.com/Tz17SRGpiH
— Liability (@958353005) September 12, 2018
After the upsetting show, the pop singer issued a statement, telling fans how proud she is of them:
How about we take this to the next level?
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“I will stand by you all for your love and beliefs and I am proud and grateful that you felt safe enough to show your pride at my show. What you did takes a lot of bravery. I always want my music to bring strength, hope and unity. I was horrified by what happened and I send love to all my fans involved.”
Shanghai ?? pic.twitter.com/mxLHxj2Y3y
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) September 13, 2018
Gigi Gee
Good for her for speaking out.
john_green
China is big enough to lead the world by example. This was the wrong example.
Rock-N-RollHS
you are aware of China’s history of human rights violations, right?
Well just let me say
Duh! Are you not aware that China is a Communist country? A totalitarian country? Homosexuality is condemned. With 1.5 billion people they have kept it pretty quiet about how they enforce (punish/kill) those queers they choose to – about which we know nothing. What ever made you believe they would ever lead the world as a leader in gay acceptance. They are the EXACT opposite – what planet are you living on????
Rock-N-RollHS
Her using the term “safe” as in “safe space” in the context of culture completely different than the sheltered enclaves she is used to is both amusing and sad.
Well just let me say
She did it as best she could to comfort her audience after the Chinese Gestapo removed flag waving queers — but NO place in China is there a “safe” place. It is disturbing to think what seems to me that many young people just assume the majority of the world has “safe” places when the reality is exactly the opposite! They may not notice that many are trying to take away “safe” spaces in the USA.
davey14
I’m glad she spoke out, however, waving one of those rainbow flags from the stage would have been a powerful message.
Well just let me say
She would have risked being put in jail —– no celebrity is powerful enough to avoid prison if they are IN China and the BIG chiefs are angered. People are confusing “free” countries with non-free — there are far more non-free than free.
batesmotel
That seems a bit strange especially since China now supports Same Sex relationships and gays in general. The ban was lifted about fifteen years ago. However, what they do still get touchy about is when you wave another flag other than the Chinese flag. It’s considered disrespectful and propaganda, so this might have had more to do with the different flag they were waving more than it being about gays. The Chinese government considers that a serious offense to wave a different flag than the Chinese one.
niles
drop dead you pathetic troll
unreligious
What alternative universe do you live in? Over the last couple of years there have been numerous incidents of the Chinese government shutting down shows that featured gay people. In 2016 Chinese censors banned among other things the showing of gay characters. Removing a ban on consensual sexual activity does not translate into support for it. There are no laws in China protecting gays from discrimination. Same sex couples in China are unable to marry, adopt nor do they have the same legal protections available to opposite sex couples. Nor can openly gay people serve in the military.
isxios
He’s right! It is no longer a crime to be gay in China. This must have been political rather than strictly homophobic.
paul dorian lord fredine
honestly, never heard of her.
nm4047
someone needs to get out more.
mz.sam
Corrctomundo! All Lawrence Welk generation would never know who Dua Lipa is.
Gigi Gee
paul dorian lord fredine — WTF difference does that make! Did you READ the article? You don’t have to know who she is to understand what transpired.
johnkcopley
She is the biggest star emerging from Europe at the moment. She’s from Kosovo originally and escaped as a child with her parents and grew up in London, England.
She was upset but I kind of agree she should have walked off stage or waved the flag herself. But I guess as a 22 year old woman she was ****ing terrified. The Chinese aren’t far left. They are so far left they are fascists. Truely terrifying and will be the end of this world when the USA are overtaken by these fascists dressed as commies supported by the Russians.
isxios
Being gay is not a crime in China. I wonder why the security there felt the need to do that?