Dave Matthews, frontman of the Dave Matthews Band, used a concert stage in Raleigh to speak directly to Jewish fans following reports of antisemitic slurs shouted by audience members during a previous show in West Palm Beach, Florida.
At the Florida concert, while Matthews was addressing the situation in Gaza, a topic he has spoken about frequently, some attendees reportedly chanted slurs including “Yeah, f* the Jews”** and other antisemitic language. Jewish fans present described the incident as disturbing and said it occurred in response to his comments.
In Raleigh on June 5, Matthews read a prepared statement clarifying his position. He reiterated his criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians in Gaza and Judea and Samaria, while stressing that his views should not be interpreted as antisemitism.
“That should by no means be twisted into anybody thinking that I am bigoted or antisemitic in any way at all,” Matthews said. “On the contrary, I have a deep respect and love, for all my life that I can remember, and admiration for the culture and history of the Jewish people.”
He added that some of his closest friends are Jewish and expressed heartbreak that his calls for peace could be misused to promote hate.
