Chris Martin has come under fire for remarks he made after he brought two young women onto the stage during Coldplay’s performance at Wembley Stadium on Sunday night.
The pair, identified as Avia and Tal, faced a divided reaction from the 90,000-strong audience after revealing they were from Israel.
Sections of the crowd responded with boos whilst others applauded, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere in the London venue. The mixed reception left Mr Martin visibly uneasy at his piano as he attempted to navigate the unexpected situation.
The Coldplay frontman responded to the crowd’s reaction by emphasising his belief in human equality. “I’m very grateful that you’re here as humans, and I am treating you as equal humans on earth, regardless of where you come from or don’t come from,” he told the women.
Chris Martin and Coldplay are current on the Wembley leg of their tour
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The singer then addressed the wider audience, stating: “Although it’s controversial maybe, I also want to welcome people in the audience from Palestine because… out of the belief that we’re all equal humans.”
The mention of Palestine drew cheers and applause from the Wembley crowd.
Mr Martin also complimented one of the women, saying: “Thank you for being here, I’m very happy to see you, look at your beautiful green eyes.”
Speaking to Israeli broadcaster Kan following the performance, one of the women revealed that they had briefly considered concealing their nationality.
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Coldplay returned to Wembley at the end of August
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“For a quarter of a second, we thought of saying Malta, but then I said Israel. We couldn’t and didn’t want to lie,” she explained.
The woman acknowledged feeling apprehensive about disclosing their origin to such a vast audience. “It’s a little scary that 90,000 people knew we’re from there, but we said it,” she told the broadcaster.
Footage from the performance and the moment with Avia and Tal, in particular, has since been shared far and wide across social media, sparking a rather strong reaction from critics and fans alike.
The Creative Community for Peace, for instance, a pro-Israel organisation which works to counter anti-Israel sentiment in the entertainment industry, wrote on X: “Why did Israelis need to be reminded they will be treated as humans? Aren’t Israelis humans already?
“This is exactly the dehumanization Jews face again and again, and it’s shameful that it played out on a stage meant for music and unity.”
Elsewhere, Jewish podcaster Yaakov Langer also condemned the comments: “Coldplay invited two women on stage then berates them and makes them feel bad for being Israeli. He didn’t mention the hostages being held by Hamas. He didn’t actually treat them like human beings. Disgusting.”
The UK’s National Jewish Assembly echoed on the social media platform: “Why bring up ‘equality’ at all?
“Why not just say ‘welcome’ like they would to anyone else? The crowd’s reaction didn’t feel welcoming, and Coldplay’s failure to call this behaviour out is really disappointing.”
And GB News star and comedian Josh Howie reposted the clip on X with the sarcastic caption: “Close call Chris, treating those Jewish girls like human beings nearly lost you the crowd if you hadn’t placated them with Palestine.”
However, some clearly felt Mr Martin shouldn’t have entertained the Israeli fans in the first place, with pro-Palestine campaigner and politician George Galloway sarcastically typing on X: “How very Coldplay…”
Others defended Mr Martin, arguing his comments were made with the best intentions. “I’m not a Coldplay fan, though I’ve watched them live in concert,” one X user argued. “I think this video is being taken out of context. I believe Chris Martin wants to says that Israelis should be treated humanely when they are so often dehumanized everyday.” (sic)
This isn’t the first time Coldplay have hit headlines for their comments regarding the war in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre.
Close call Chris, treating those Jewish girls like human beings nearly lost you the crowd if you hadn’t placated them with Palestine pic.twitter.com/GKmUAZkWVD
— Josh Howie (@joshxhowie) September 1, 2025
In July, Mr Martin pointed out an Israeli flag raised in the audience, before referencing that he had seen a Palestinian flag in the crowd at a concert the day prior.
“Yesterday, we had a beautiful Palestinian flag, today we have an Israeli flag,” he told concertgoers at the time. “So we welcome all people. Thank you, my brothers and sisters. It makes me happy that both groups can come.”