Coldplay got an unexpected reaction from fans at their Wembley Stadium show after Chris Martin gave a shoutout to Charlie Kirk.
During the band’s Music of the Spheres tour, the lead singer addressed the crowd before playing the 2005 hit 'Fix You.' A video captured Martin encouraging fans to raise their hands and 'send love anywhere you wanna send it in the world.'
He then added: “You can send it to Charlie Kirk’s family. You can send it to anybody’s family, you can send it to people you disagree with, but you send them love anyway.”
Kirk was the only person Martin named during the show. The political commentator died on stage during an event in Utah on Wednesday (10 September) after he was shot in the neck.
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His death has been described by authorities as a 'political assassination,' while 22-year-old Tyler Robinson has been arrested on suspicion of shooting the right-wing activist.
During the concert, Martin also encouraged fans to 'send love' to their family members, or anyone who has 'been going through terrible stuff,' while also addressing 'peaceful people in the Middle East and Ukraine and Russia and Azerbaijan and Sudan and Somalia,' while fireworks lit up the stadium.
Several concert-goers took to social media to vent over Martin’s shoutout to Kirk and his family.
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One X user, @space0dyssey reportedly wrote: “I booed” and complained it was 'insane' that Kirk’s was 'the only name mentioned.'
Another user tweeted: “I would walk out” if they had been present at the concert, while someone else questioned why Coldplay would make such a dedication.
Meanwhile, others appreciated the act from Coldplay, replying: "Wow. Didn’t see that coming. Respect" and "Chris Martin is a real one".
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This isn’t the first time Coldplay has drawn criticism at Wembley recently. On 31 August, Martin faced backlash after bringing two Israeli fans on stage and was accused of 'dehumanizing' them.
The crowd booed the vocalist after he said he would treat the pair of fans as 'equal humans on earth, regardless of where you come from.'
In response, Arts organisation Creative Community for Peace took to X to hit out at Martin’s comment, writing: “This is exactly the dehumanization Jews face again and again, and it’s shameful that it played out on a stage meant for music and unity.”
The band also made headlines this year after a couple appeared in a rather intimate embrace on the 'kiss cam' at one of their concerts.