Turkey bans concert of French-Jewish singer Enrico Macias over pro-Israel stance

By Agencies 4 September 2025, 9:19 am

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French singer and songwriter Enrico Macias addresses the audience during a gathering organized by the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) calling for the release of the hostages held in Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel, at the Trocadeo esplanade in Paris, on April 7, 2024 (Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

Turkish authorities ban a concert of Enrico Macias, a French singer of Algerian-Jewish origin, after there were calls for protest over his pro-Israeli stance.

The Istanbul governor’s office says that Macias’ performance scheduled for Friday evening in the city has been banned “after intense calls for protests against the concert.”

The governorate says it wants to prevent any demonstrations on the sidelines of the concert “against the genocide of the terrorist state Israel in Gaza and its supporters.”

Such protests would place protesters “in an unjust position legally, and cause grievances,” the office says in a statement.

Any protests around the concert venue in Istanbul’s Sisli district on Friday were also banned by the governor.

The 86-year-old singer tells AFP that he has performed in Turkey for 60 years and is “deeply surprised and saddened not to be able to see my audience, with whom I have always shared values of peace and fraternity.”

NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticized Israel over its actions in Gaza amid the war against Hamas, and says it is committing genocide there.

It has halted all trade with Israel, called for international measures against it, and has repeatedly urged world powers to stop supporting Israel. Israel denies accusations of genocide.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.