Gorillaz were introduced at Primavera Sound by Palestinian activist Aarab Barghouti, the son of the imprisoned politician Marwan Barghouti. Damon Albarn and his bandmates invited Barghouti to address the crowd at the Barcelona festival’s Estrella Damm stage on Saturday night (June 6), marking a poignant opening to their performance.
The activist’s father, Marwan Barghouti, has served as an elected legislator in Palestine and is widely considered a potential future leader. He has been imprisoned by Israel since 2002 following a conviction related to the Second Intifada—charges he has consistently denied while challenging the legitimacy of the Israeli court proceedings.
Addressing the Primavera audience, Aarab Barghouti stated: “My father is one of 10,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, but for millions of Palestinians he represents something that Israel cannot imprison: hope.”
Gorillaz were introduced at Primavera Sound by Aarab Barghouti, a Palestinian activist and son of imprisoned Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti.
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He continued, “Hope that Palestinian children will grow up in peace. Freedom won in South Africa, in Ireland, and in Algeria, because people like you refused to look away, refused to give up. So keep fighting for Palestine, for Gaza, and for justice.”
The festival had previously faced challenges due to extreme weather, which forced the cancellation of several sets, including that of Massive Attack on Thursday night (June 4). Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack shared an image of himself with Barghouti backstage, noting that the encounter was a rare moment of light during the festival’s turbulent weather, as they had invited him to speak on behalf of his father to appeal for his release.
Damon Albarn has remained a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights. Last September, he participated in the 'Together For Palestine' show in London, organized by Brian Eno, where he performed traditional Palestinian songs. This commitment to the cause has also influenced his recent work, including the track 'Damascus' from the latest Gorillaz album, The Mountain.
Beyond his activism, Albarn is currently preparing for the band's first-ever tour in India in early 2027 and is composing the score for Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film, Artificial, which explores the origins of ChatGPT.