- Title: Palestinian DJ's shrine gig stirs discord
- Date: 30th December 2020
- Summary: JERICHO, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 29, 2020) (REUTERS) SIGN READING (English): "JERICHO" VIEW OF STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SERI ABDU-LHADI, BROTHER OF PALESTINIAN DJ SAMA ABDUL-HADI, SAYING: "We sent an application to the Ministry of Tourism, a request to film in several specific places the tracks we wanted to play. We got a response on three places, which are Nabi Musa's shrine, Hisham's palace, and Sebastiya, so we filmed there and the security guard of the shrine opened the place for us."
- Embargoed: 13th January 2021 09:49
- Keywords: Arrest DJ Nabi Musa Palestinians Performance Shrine West Bank
- Location: JERICHO, RAMALLAH AND NABI MUSA, WEST BANK / IBIZA, SPAIN
- City: JERICHO, RAMALLAH AND NABI MUSA, WEST BANK / IBIZA, SPAIN
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA003DB783TH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Palestinian police extended the detention on Tuesday (December 29) of techno DJ Sama Abdul-Hadi by 15 days after being arrested on Sunday (December 27) for being filmed performing at Nabi Musa, an ancient shrine in the West Bank, her family said.
Abdul-Hadi and a group of revellers gathered on Saturday (December 26) at Nabi Musa to make a music video for streaming sites Beatport and Twitch.TV and an online music store, according to family.
Videos shared on social media show a group of men entering the site, disrupting the performance and driving out the attendees. Some of the men appear to throw firecrackers.
The incident stirred up debate on social media. Some commentators expressed anger at the DJ for filming at a site that is also a mosque.
Abdul-Hadi's family said she had obtained permission from the Palestinian tourism ministry.
"We sent an application to the Ministry of Tourism, a request to film the tracks that we wanted to play in several specific places. We got a (positive) response regarding three places, which are Nabi Musa's shrine, Hisham's palace, and Sebastiya, so we filmed there and the security guard of the shrine opened the place for us and accommodated us," Abdul-Hadi's brother Seri, said.
The ministry declined to comment, saying it was looking into the matter.
On Tuesda, Sama's detention was extended for another 15 days until the investigation is over, according to Seri Abdul-Hadi. An online petition has launched demanding the release of the DJ.
Abdul-Hadi's brother called his sister's arrest "arbitrary", saying this was not the first time music had been played at the shrine.
"We kept our distance from the mosque, we did not get close to it at all," he said. "Everything that was said in the media - that this is the 'devil's work', that there were drugs and alcohol - none of that happened," he added.
"Our only misstep was in underestimating the sensitivity of this place as a shrine. But we did ask for approval, because it is considered a cultural and touristic site."
Palestinian Muslims celebrate an annual Nabi Musa (Prophet Moses) season, during which religious songs are sung and folk dances performed in honour of the biblical figure.
(Production: Adel abu Nemeh, Ammar Awad, Mohammad abu Ganeyeh, Suheir Sheikh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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