Press Line Photos/Shutterstock pcy eras tour d-4/X (Licensed)
Tricia Crimmins
Tech
Posted on May 29, 2024 Updated on May 29, 2024, 12:33 pm CDT
Fans of Taylor Swift are coalescing on social media to demand Swift acknowledge and condemn Israel’s continued attacks on Palestine. Swifties have held up pro-Palestine signs and Palestinian flags at recent Eras Tours shows and are creating Palestinian-themed friendship bracelets to wear to concerts.
#SwiftiesForPalestine is also trending on X.
The movement seems to have been kicked off by a fan displaying a Palestinian flag at Swift’s May 24 show in Lisbon, Portugal. The fan, Sofia Martins, and her actions were praised by fellow Swifties.
“SOMEONE BROUGHT THE PALESTINE FLAG TO ERAS OH MY GOD,” a Swift fan tweeted. “LETS FUCKING GO.”
Martins then identified herself by posting photos of the flag and string to hang it that she brought to the concert.
“Thats me!!” she tweeted.
thats me!! #LisbonTStheErasTour #TSTheErasTour https://t.co/0In0Je92mb pic.twitter.com/0oIPC9OvsM
Martins told the Daily Dot that she was “unsure” about bringing the flag to the concert but did it anyway—and she’s happy she did.
“After my tweet [went] viral many people seemed to want the same thing as me, DMing me and replying in my tweet saying that ‘were going to do the same thing’,” Martins said. “Before I knew it everyone started talking about it and how Taylor needs to speak up.”
This isn’t the first time Swift has been called out for not speaking about Palestine publicly. Earlier this month, Swift was blocked en masse on social media as part of the digital guillotine trend and lost tens of thousands of followers on Instagram because of her silence.
But that trend included action against a long list of celebrities. #SwiftiesForPalestine is directed at the singer only: This morning, Robin (@folkwhvre), another Swiftie, posted an open letter to Swift asking her to “speak now” on Palestine.
“Speak Now” is the name of Swift’s third album, released in 2010.
“As an internationally renowned and significant artist, your voice has the ability to impact and draw attention to crucial problems affecting millions of people worldwide,” Robin wrote. “Today, I am writing to urge you to speak out against the current humanitarian crisis and decades-long genocide in Palestine.”
.@taylorswift13 your silence has been deafening and in times like these you should speak up!! #SpeakNow #SwiftiesForPalestine there are children being burned alive and beheaded in rafah so SPEAK NOW TAYLOR #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/U56rZN6zHD
Since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military offensives.
Over the weekend, Israel struck Palestinian shelters in Rafah, burning civilians alive. Rafah had been designated as a “safe zone” for Palestinians during the war.
The letter goes on to say that Swift’s influence “transcends borders” and that her “smallest action could make a significant difference” in awareness of the Palestinian death toll.
Robin, who declined to share his full name with the Daily Dot, said he’s disappointed in Swift for not acknowledging Palestine, even though her friends and collaborators have. Swift’s long-time producer and friend Jack Antonoff tweeted about matching donations to Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam on behalf of Gaza and posted the “All Eyes on Rafah” Instagram trend yesterday.
“#SwiftiesForPalestine is showing that a huge group of people who are very different yet have similar interests are with humanity and aren’t okay with genocide,” Robin told the Daily Dot. “Me and other Swifties want Taylor to speak up, not because of our hatred for her but because we are her fans and want to know which side she is on.”
The #SwiftiesForPalestine movement includes online pushes like Robin’s and in-person showings like Martins.
Ahead of Swift’s concert today in Madrid, Spain, Swifties are encouraging those who will be in the audience to bring signs in support of Palestine.
“People who are front row at the Eras Tour are the ones who could actually make a difference bc Taylor IS going to see them,” X user @hvmangucci tweeted today. “Yall need to make these kind of cardboards.”
@hvmangucci also posted photos of signs that say “We Demand Swift Action” and “Swifties for Palestine.”
people who are front row at the eras tour are the ones who could actually make a difference bc taylor IS going to see them especially during the set of red, 1989 and fearless she’s actually looking at people yall need to make these kind of cardboards #SwiftiesForPalestine pic.twitter.com/vwagydeRLO
Others are telling fans to create friendship bracelets in support of Palestine for the concerts. Making friendship bracelets and trading them at Eras Tours shows has become common practice since Swift started the tour in 2023.
Audrey, who goes by @dearread3r on X, posted an “Eras Tour Fan Project” on May 12 asking fans to “highlight Palestine” via friendship bracelets and social media posts about the concerts. She also encouraged Swifties to paint or draw watermelons on their hands. Audrey declined to share her last name with the Daily Dot.
Watermelons have been used as a symbol to represent Palestine since the 1980s and many people use the watermelon imagery (and watermelon emojis) to circumvent online censorship when posting about Palestine.
here are a few simple things you can do at the eras tour to support palestine!! 🇵🇸 like/rt to spread the word and reply with any other ideas! pic.twitter.com/tDrnqBDUh0
Audrey told the Daily Dot that the bracelet idea was a “team effort” among her and other Swifties, but that she posted it as the Eras Tour Fan Project. She hopes Swift speaking about Palestine could encourage donations to Palestinian refugees.
“Taylor is someone that a lot of people look up to so I think her speaking up about it would bring in a lot of donations,” Audrey said. “And encourage more people to help.”
There are also verbal directives for fans at the concerts. X user @winemaroon asked attendees of Swift’s Madrid shows to chant “ceasefire now” after Swift performs her song “Champagne Problems” during the show.
Swifties in MADRID!!
Please chant “CEASEFIRE NOW” after Champagne Problems and before the surprise songs. This will most likely get her attention because Brazilians chanted “Reputation” before and she took her ear piece out and listened.
SPREAD THE WORD #SwiftiesForPalestine
Though #SwiftiesForPalestine have high hopes that the singer will take action, Martins, who held up a Palestinian flag at a Lisbon concert over the weekend, told the Daily Dot that even if Swift doesn’t respond to their movement, it’s been worth it to get through to their fellow fans.
“More people are now starting to realize whats going on and thats already really good!” Martins said. “Even if Taylor doesn’t speak about it a lot of her fans are already aware about whats happening.”
This post has been updated.
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Tricia Crimmins is a Senior Reporter on the politics and tech team covering discrimination, identity, and the 2024 election. She can be found on Twitter at @TriciaCrimmins.
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