Imagine Dragons bassist Benjamin McKee was seen holding up his LGBT-themed bass guitar after singer Dan Reynolds proudly waved a Palestinian flag, sending a confusing message.
Fellow musician John Ondrasik called the band out over the conflicting imagery May 29 on X.
“The bass player of @Imaginedragons plays a LGBT rights bass,” he wrote. “I would hope they would reflect on the fact that beyond the murder, desecration, and kidnapping of music fans at a concert for peace, Gays and Trans people are tortured and thrown off buildings in Gaza.”
The bass player of @Imaginedragons plays a LGBT rights bass. I would hope they would reflect on the fact that beyond the murder, desecration, and kidnapping of music fans at a concert for peace, Gays and Trans people are tortured and thrown off buildings in Gaza. @DanReynolds https://t.co/JZnGOOEXWs pic.twitter.com/U8SGd62LDc
— John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) May 29, 2025
The confused band ended their May 27 concert in Milan with pro-Palestine messaging. Frontman Dan Reynolds draped a Palestinian flag n himself and proudly strode around the stage, according to a clip shared by Dawn News.
Reynolds proudly waved the large flag in the air and held it up high. The singer’s bandmates joined him one by one — McKee was the last to make his way to the group, according to the footage. He lifted up and proudly displayed his guitar, showcasing the prominently displayed rainbow-themed, LGBTQ heart. (RELATED: Imagine Dragons Frontman Dan Reynolds Wraps Himself In Palestinian Flag)
Same-sex relations are criminalized in Gaza and carry a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars under the British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance 1936, according to the Human Dignity Trust (HDT). The law only applies to men. The HDT said there is little evidence that the law has been enforced.
However, the Israeli military said Hamas documents found in Gaza revealed that a former senior member of the terror group was tortured and executed after he was accused of being gay, Haaretz reported in 2024. Others who faced similar accusations were also reportedly abused and persecuted.
It’s unclear if McKee was aware that the apparent blending of his support of the LGBTQ community and the plight of the Palestinians was taken by many as two opposing statements, but the internet has definitely tipped him off.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
