Coldplay’s Chris Martin sparks outrage over awkward moment with Israeli fans at Wembley concert

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has sparked outrage following an awkward encounter during the band’s sold-out show at Wembley Stadium.

The incident took place on August 22, when Martin invited two young women, Avia and Tal, onto the stage in front of more than 90,000 fans.

When the concertgoers revealed they were from Israel, the crowd responded with a mix of cheers and boos.

Martin, pausing before speaking, told the women, “I’m very grateful that you’re here as humans, and I am treating you as equal humans on earth, regardless of where you come from or don’t come from.”

He then broadened his remarks, adding, “Although it’s controversial, maybe, I also want to welcome people in the audience from Palestine because… out of the belief that we’re all equal humans,” he said, drawing loud applause.

For some, the gesture reflected Coldplay’s long‑standing message of inclusivity and unity at their shows. Supporters online praised Martin for diffusing tension while reinforcing the idea that music transcends politics.

“He said he was grateful for them and didn’t care about where they were from. But because of Israel’s position against Palestine he offered the olive branch to Palestinians too. He couldn’t have been more even-handed if he tried,” one fan wrote on X.

But others, especially Israeli fans who had travelled to London for the concert, criticised the remarks. Some said they felt singled out during a moment that should have been celebratory.

Long-time fan Yaron Samid took to X to express his disappointment.

“My wife and I, both Israeli, have been avid fans of Coldplay for two decades, travelling around the world to see them in concert several times. That’s why this slip up by Chris Martin at Wembley Stadium is especially hurtful,” he wrote.

“This was a tactless misstep that further tears people apart and deeply hurts some of your most loyal fans. I hope you can take a quiet moment to look back at your choice of words and realise they came from a place of growing prejudice against Israeli people that have been drawn into a war they never asked for.

“A people that were brutally slaughtered, raped and burnt alive by Palestinians while dancing at a peace music festival similar to yours, and that are still held hostage nearly two years later while you’re on stage patronising two of our sisters.

“You’re better than this. Or at least I thought so,” he concluded.

Another fan added that, “Israelis should be allowed to celebrate their identity on stage without having to be reassured by a celebrity that they’re ‘human’. That shouldn’t have to be said.”

While the individual acknowledged that Martin “attempted to be kind,” he still “unnecessarily politicised the moment, signalling them out in a way he would not have done for fans of any other nationality.”

In a lengthy post, a third outraged fan wrote, “Instead of supporting them and treating them like you would any other fans....you made them feel conditionally tolerated, dehumanised, and guilty of being Jewish.”

Coldplay has not issued further comment, but videos of the exchange have spread widely online, sparking fierce discussion.

This isn’t the first time the band’s Music of the Spheres tour has made international headlines.

In June, the band’s infamous kiss cam exposed two concert having an affair.