The Royal Opera House's director of opera, Oliver Mears, attempted to forcibly snatch a Palestinian flag from performer Daniel Perry during a curtain call, which has drawn significant criticism. Nearly 200 members of the Royal Ballet and Opera condemned Mears' actions, labeling them as extremely poor judgment characterized by visible anger and aggression. The incident was described as a political statement against solidarity with Palestine. Mears later expressed regret, reflecting on the complexities of the situation and the difficult choices he faced. The Royal Ballet and Opera subsequently canceled a planned production in Israel amidst the backlash.
Oliver Mears stated that he could not allow the precedent of a public and individual protest during a show, which informed his actions during the curtain call.
Members of the Royal Ballet and Opera criticized Mears for his visible anger and aggression, calling it extremely poor judgment in a public setting.
The signatories of the open letter condemned Mears' actions as a political statement that suggested hostility toward visible solidarity with Palestine.
Mears reflected on the situation, stating, 'Unfortunately, in the end I think there were simply no good options: this was a messy and unhappy situation...'
The RBO announced the cancellation of its 2026 production of Tosca at the Israeli Opera, responding to criticism from its members regarding its stance on Gaza.
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