Istanbul Governorate banned the Enrico Macias concert planned to be held on September 5 at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater. The governorate banned all events including concerts, demonstrations, marches and press statements between 00.01-23.59, stating that there were intense calls for protests before the concert.
The 87-year-old Algerian-born French artist Enrico Macias has long been criticized as a “propagandist for Zionism” for his political and cultural support for Israel. His concerts for the Israeli army, his public Zionist statements and his unilateral stance in the Gaza wars have caused protests in the past.
Macias gained great popularity in Turkey in the 1960s, his songs were frequently played on the radio and some of his works were adapted into Turkish.
September 3, 2025
bianet