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British singer Morrissey’s upcoming concerts in Türkiye have been canceled following social media backlash over his past expressions of support for Israel.
The former frontman of The Smiths had been scheduled to perform in Istanbul and Ankara on Dec. 15 and 16, but both shows are now listed as canceled on Ticketmaster without an official explanation.
The cancellations come after an old video resurfaced online showing Morrissey waving the Israeli flag during a 2012 concert in Tel Aviv.
The clip went viral this week, with Turkish social media users calling for his concerts to be canceled amid ongoing outrage over civilian deaths in Gaza.
One viral post read, “Let me introduce: Zionist singer Morrissey, a supporter of Israel, will give a concert at Volkswagen Arena on December 16. This concert should not be allowed while children are dying in Palestine.”
Neither Morrissey nor his representatives have commented on the decision.
Morrissey has previously described Israel as “God’s country” and received the key to Tel Aviv in 2012.
His 2017 album "Low in High School" included a track titled “Israel.” His past remarks have repeatedly drawn criticism for being politically charged and divisive.
The cancellation of his Turkish concerts follows similar controversy surrounding a planned Robbie Williams concert in Istanbul earlier this week, which was also called off, reportedly after protests by pro-Palestinian groups.
The Turkish cancellations add to a growing list of disrupted tour dates for the 66-year-old artist.
Morrissey canceled shows in the United States and Canada last month after receiving death threats on social media, according to BBC.
Canadian authorities arrested a 26-year-old man in Ottawa in September for allegedly threatening to shoot the singer before a scheduled performance.
Morrissey went ahead with the Ottawa festival appearance but later canceled two U.S. shows “out of an abundance of caution,” citing a “credible threat” to his life.
Despite these disruptions, Morrissey continues his 2025 tour, which is set to conclude in Los Angeles later this month before moving to Mexico City and South America.
He has also announced an exclusive U.K. concert at London’s O2 Arena on Feb. 28, 2026, marking his only planned U.K. date next year.
Morrissey’s outspoken political stances have long polarized fans.
The singer has voiced support for far-right and anti-Islam parties in Britain, including Reform UK and the now-defunct For Britain.
In past interviews, he dismissed accusations of racism, stating, “Everyone ultimately prefers their own race, does this make everyone racist?”
He has also faced backlash for remarks describing the Chinese as a “subspecies” and claiming that halal meat certification requires approval from “supporters of Daesh.”
In 2021, he said he had “invented being canceled” and compared pandemic society to slavery. A year earlier, he blamed his removal from record label BMG on its “new plans for diversity.”
His latest album project, "Bonfire of Teenagers, remains unreleased after Morrissey alleged he was “gagged” because the title track referenced the 2017 Manchester Arena attack during an Ariana Grande concert.
The singer recently announced he had severed ties with The Smiths, saying he was “burnt out by any and all connections” and was selling his business interests in the band.
6 min read
