What happened at Hozier’s OVO Arena Wembley stadium show in 2023? Exploring the scarf controversy as singer and venue issues response

Hozier performed at the OVO Arena Wembley Stadium on December 15, 2023, as part of his tour to support his album, Unreal Unearth, which was released on August 18, 2023. While the tour was overall a huge success, there was an incident during the concert.

The incident concerns one Hiba Ahmad, who was attending the concert wearing a scarf with the popular protest slogan #FreePalestine, which has been used by protesters across the world in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Hiba Ahmad was first asked by venue staff to remove the scarf so that she was not a target of hate crime. When she refused, the staff members allegedly expressed concern that she would throw the scarf towards the stage.

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Hozier denies any involvement in concert incident

In a statement, Hiba Ahmad further elaborated on the incident, claiming how the staff explained their actions as being under instruction from Hozier and his staff, which has been categorically denied by the singer since then.

In response to Hiba Ahmad's ordeal, Hozier reached out on X on December 16, 2023, posting his denial of any involvement or knowledge of the venue staff's actions, as well as expressing his sorrow that such an incident took place and apologizing to Ahmad and her friends for what happened.

OVO Wembley shared a new update on February 22 via their official X account, stating that it was an isolated incident and that they have apologized to Ahmad and her friends. The venue also stated that they are making a donation to the UNICEF Children in Gaza Appeal.

“This was an isolated incident where venue policy wasn’t followed as intended. The decision to stop the guest was not following artist wishes. We have apologised to those involved and are making a donation to the UNICEF Children In Gaza Appeal.”

On Feburary 26, Hozier added to the update and tweeted:

“The team and I have zero policy of prohibiting signs of any kind and I’m sorry to Hiba and her friends that they experienced this at the London show.”

Hozier has himself previously supported calls for a ceasefire and criticized the US for vetoing the ceasefire calls in the UN while performing in San Francisco, US, on October 27, 2023.

"I'm an Irish citizen but I want to explain where I am in my heart on this. Since the nightmare of October 7th, every day has been another nightmare after another nightmare. I just want to mention that I come from a country that faced centuries of violence, centuries of sectaraian violence."

He added:

"It was ended; it was brought to a political and diplomatic end with the involvement of the United States. And today, the United States voted against the General Assembly. Last week there were votes for a ceasefire, but the United States has consistently voted it down."

Ireland, the country Hozier hails from, is also pro-Palestine, with the country joining the slowly growing list of nations that have supported calls for a ceasefire as well as the Boycott, Sanction, and Divestment (BDS) movement that attempts to put economic pressure on Israel to stop its occupation of Palestine.