Cast Member Unfurls Flag During Opera's Curtain Call

A cast member at London's Royal Opera House has caused a ruckus by holding a Palestinian flag during curtain call. The incident took place Saturday after the final performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. At one point, the cast member staging the protest successfully fended off an attempt by a man offstage to grab the flag. The BBC has video.

The protest "was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is not in line with our commitment to political impartiality," said a spokesperson for the opera house. It was "completely inappropriate for a curtain call." The male cast member was not identified. The incident echoes recent protests at the Sydney Theatre Company, which sparked internal disputes and resignations after actors wore keffiyeh scarves to show solidarity with Palestinians, notes the Morning Herald.

The onstage demonstration followed a day of protests across the UK in support of the newly banned group Palestine Action, per Reuters. Supporters marched in multiple cities, including London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. Police in London made dozens of arrests, citing new legal restrictions: Being a member of the group is now a criminal offense, as is publicly displaying support for it.