Comedian Dave Chappelle sparked controversy for his remarks on the Israel-Palestine conflict during his show at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday night. According to a report by MSN, Chappelle expressed his criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and his support for Palestinian students, which prompted some audience members to walk out of the venue and others to heckle him.
The report said that Chappelle began his show by condemning the Oct. 7 rocket attack by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, on Israel, which killed one person and injured several others. However, he then proceeded to criticize Israel’s response, which involved airstrikes on Gaza that killed at least 13 people, including eight children, and injured more than 100 others.
Chappelle reportedly accused Israel of committing “war crimes” and “slaughtering innocent people” with the help of American taxpayer money. He also said that Israel was cutting off water and electricity to Gaza, which is home to about two million Palestinians who live under a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt since 2007.
Chappelle also said that he supported the right of students to express their solidarity with Palestinians without facing repercussions. He said that he did not think students should lose their job offers for supporting Palestine, which he said was a “human rights issue”.
Chappelle’s comments divided the audience, with some cheering him on and shouting “Free Palestine”, while others booing him and shouting “What about Hamas”. Some people also told Chappelle to “shut up” and “stick to comedy”, while others decided to leave the show.
A spokesperson for Chappelle told The Wall Street Journal that he “denies being in Boston last night”, despite the fact that his show was part of his tour, Dave Chappelle Live: It’s a Celebration, B!%?#&$!, which was scheduled at TD Garden for Oct. 19 and 20.
Chappelle’s comments came amid the ongoing tension and violence between Israelis and Palestinians over the disputed land and holy sites in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The conflict has been going on for decades, with several attempts at peace talks failing to resolve the core issues.
Chappelle is known for his controversial and provocative comedy style, which often tackles sensitive topics such as race, politics, religion, sexuality and culture. He has also faced criticism and backlash for his jokes about transgender people, sexual assault allegations against celebrities, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
