British pop star Sir Rod Stewart was booed at a concert in Germany while making a show of support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, German media reported on Sunday.
The singer paid tribute to Ukraine as he introduced the song “Rhythm of My Heart” at his sold-out concert in Leipzig on Friday, according to the Tag 24 news outlet.
Wearing the colours of the Ukrainian flag, he dedicated the song to the Ukrainian people and army before shouting an insult against Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.
As he performed the song, images of the war, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and the country’s flag were shown on the screen behind him.
Der Moment, als Rod Stewart während des Konzerts in Leipzig vor einem Foto von Selenskyj salutierte.
…und dann ausgebuht wurde >>> pic.twitter.com/yRegT0DIhU
— _horizont_ (@hori_____zont) June 16, 2024
The audience responded with loud boos and whistles, according to several media reports.
The singer has previously been vocal in his support for Ukraine and reportedly rented a house for Ukrainian refugees in Britain.
According to German media, his support for Ukraine had been well-received at previous concerts in Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
Leipzig: Pfiffe, Buhrufe, weil sich #RodStewart mit der Ukraine solidarisiert.
Ich bin sicher, er macht das bei seinen Konzerten überall, aber nur in Dunkeldeutschland kriegt er so eine Reaktion. Beschämend. pic.twitter.com/PvKHb0VMNc
— Stimme der Ukraine (@StimmeUkraine) June 16, 2024
Germany has been a staunch backer of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Michael Roth, a foreign policy expert for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD, on Sunday called Sir Rod the “hero of the day”.
“Thanks for your solidarity with the Ukrainian people!” he wrote on X.
But public opinion remains split on the issue, with some fearing Germany’s backing for Kyiv could risk escalating the war while others resent the amount of money being spent on Ukraine.
German far-left and far-right parties that are opposed to the government’s backing for Ukraine both scored major gains in last week’s EU elections.
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