Dua Lipa broke down on stage at a concert in China after fans were dragged out of the event.
The English singer was performing in Shanghai on Wednesday (September 12) when a large number of fans were removed from the crowd. Some fans were escorted from the venue for standing on chairs, while it is believed others were removed for waving pride flags.
A video taken at the concert showed Dua’s fans standing and dancing on their seats, enjoying the concert before they were dragged out of the venue.
Watch the footage here:
Screams could be heard as one fan was forcibly removed from the event, while on the outer rim of the concert hall a man could be seen being struck by a security guard.
As the shocking events unfolded in the stadium the singer became upset and visibly appeared to cry on stage.
Trying to console her fans, she said:
I want to create a really safe environment for us all to have fun. I want us all to dance.
I want us all to sing, I want us all to just have a really good time.
We’re not here for much longer, we have only a few more songs, and I would love in these last few songs for us to really, really, really enjoy ourselves. How about that?
Dua addressed the situation in an Instagram post, where she said she was proud of her fans for being themselves at her show.
She wrote:
Last night I did it for my fans. A promised show. I stood by them, sang with them and danced with them.
I will stand by you all for your love and beliefs and I am proud and grateful that you felt safe enough to show your pride at my show. What you did takes a lot of bravery.
I always want my music to bring strength, hope and unity. I was horrified by what happened and I send love to all my fans involved.
I would love to come back for my fans when the time is right and hopefully see a room full of rainbows. I love you Shanghai.
Though young people in China support the LGBT+ community, the topic is still considered taboo by Chinese authorities.
A Dua fan who attended the concert spoke about the saddening events.
She said:
Many fans at the front rows were holding the rainbow flags high, and I heard they were ordered to take down the flags, especially the fans in the first three rows.
As a lover of western pop music and culture, this incident has broken my heart.
Videos of the concert have since circulated on social media, with many expressing their shock at the security guards’ actions.
One Twitter user wrote:
it really upsets me to see what happened at Dua Lipa’s concert in Shanghai. Concerts are supposed to be a safe place where you can enjoy and express yourself freely!!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.