The pop singer Dua Lipa has praised her fans’ “bravery” after some audience members at her concert in Shanghai were forcefully removed for dancing in their seats and apparently waving flags in support of gay rights.
Videos posted on social media after the show in China on Wednesday evening showed security staff pulling people from their seats and crowd members apparently being attacked by security guards outside the National Exhibition and Convention Center in the city’s Qingpu district.
The British singer tweeted that she was horrified by the incident. “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.”
Lipa, 23, has been vocal in her support of the LGBT community, and appeared upset on stage during her performance. She told the audience: “I want to create a really safe environment for us all to have fun ... I want us all to dance. I want us all to sing. I want us all to just have a really good time.”
Lipa pledged to return to Shanghai “when the time is right and hopefully see a room full of rainbows”.
The Shanghai date was the second and final date of Lipa’s first tour of China, after she performed in Guangzhou on September 11.
Some fans who attended the Dua Lipa concert said people were removed for dancing, while others said some were ejected for waving pro-gay rights flags.
In July 2017, Justin Bieber was banned from touring the country by Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Culture owing to “public dissatisfaction” over his previous concerts in China. Other artists, including Bjork, Lady Gaga, Maroon 5 and Bon Jovi, have reportedly been banned from performing in the country after showing their support for Tibet and the Dalai Lama.
