Videos from the concert of Dua Lipa in Shanghai on September 12, 2018 show disturbing footage of fans being violently dragged from their seats by security. Why? Some were ejected for standing up and dancing, others were for waving around gay rights flags.
In this video, a dancing woman playfully jumps into the arms of a security officer, and is promptly dragged away.
And the harassment didn’t stop once the fans were out of the venue. Even outside the concert, security guards continued to manhandle the fans.
Dua Lipa in Shanghai: “I was horrified”
By the end of her concert, Dua was in tears.
“I want to create a really safe environment for us all to have fun,” she said. “I want us all to dance. I want us all to sing, I want us all to just have a really good time. I would love in these last few songs for us to really, really, really enjoy ourselves. How about that?”
After the concert, she posted on Twitter, writing that she was “horrified” by the night’s events:
“Last night, I did it for my fans. A promised show. I stood by them, sang with them and danced with them. 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.”
Though standing up and dancing during concerts is discouraged in many Chinese concerts, Twitter users report that fans were allowed to stand up and dance during Dua’s earlier concert in Guangzhou. And while homosexuality isn’t illegal in China, the LGBT community continues to be persecuted and marginalised.
“I would love to come back for my fans when the time is right and hopefully see a room full of rainbows,” Dua added in her Twitter note. “I love you Shanghai.”
H/T: Shanghaiist