Disturbed were set to play the venue Forest National in Brussels, Belgium, on October 15th as part of “The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour,” but it now appears that show will not take place. A local mayor has ordered a ban on the show over safety concerns tied to frontman David Draiman’s support of Israel.
Charles Spapens, mayor of Forest, a municipality of Brussels, issued the following statement, per The Brussels Times: “My responsibility and priority are the safety of residents, neighbors, demonstrators, spectators and staff at Forest National. Given the police’s negative advice and the venue’s unique location, it was my duty to make this decision.”
His decision came after a police risk assessment warned that Draiman’s appearance could lead to violent demonstrations around the venue. It was also influenced by a national strike set to take place a day earlier in Brussels, as well as the anticipation of other demonstrations that may occur in the area.
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Draiman, who is Jewish, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel for years, but it appears that it’s the photos of him signing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) missiles he tweeted in June 2024 with the hashtag “#FuckHamas” that raised the most concern for Mayor Spapens and local authorities.
Those photos came to light again earlier this year when Draiman engaged in a war of words with pro-Palestinian UK hip-hop band Kneecap.
As of this posting, the Brussels concert is still listed on Disturbed’s official website, with tickets still being sold via Live Nation Belgium. Disturbed have not made any official statement regarding the status of the show.