A pro-Palestine protester brought a gig at Download Festival to an abrupt halt when he scaled a pillar during Modestep's DJ set. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday (June 14) at "The Den", causing the tent to be evacuated and the performance to end prematurely.
Modestep, known for their dubstep music, had started their set around 1.30am at the three-day rock festival held at Donington Park, Leicestershire. Disgruntled fans expressed their frustration by hurling toilet rolls and beers at the man waving a Palestinian flag, despite the DJ's appeals for him to descend.
Ignoring the requests, the situation escalated, leading to a full evacuation of the venue. Witnesses reported that the protester later climbed onto railings and navigated across roof girders, brandishing the flag to the audience on both sides.
Security personnel, unable to legally pursue the man up the structure, were left with no choice but to clear the area. Throughout the weekend, several bands made references to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, including British group Don Broco.
Frank Carter, performing with a reformed Sex Pistols, highlighted the significance of rainbow and Palestinian flags, calling them "the most punk things in 2025". The festival concluded on Sunday (June 15) with Korn headlining at the Donington Park Raceway, reports the Express.
Saturday's performances featured Sleep Token as the main act, while Green Day wrapped up Friday's stage with a politically charged set that included jabs at US President Donald Trump. Billie Joe Armstrong, the frontman, riled up the crowd to chant "You fat b******" and labelled the US leader as a "fascist".
The organisers of Download Festival have been contacted for a statement.
