‘Operation Athens’: Israeli Activist Attempts to Storm Coldplay Stage, Halts Performance

In a dramatic incident during Coldplay's concert in Athens this week, frontman Chris Martin abruptly halted the band’s performance as an Israeli social media personality attempted to storm the stage. The concert, part of Coldplay’s 'Music of the Spheres' world tour, was suddenly interrupted when Martin noticed the man, wrapped in an Israeli flag, making a determined approach toward the stage.

As the man tried to climb over a lighting rig near the stage, Martin, 47, shouted "stop, stop, stop!" and gestured to halt the music. Martin, along with guitarist Johnny Buckland, rushed to the edge of the stage, where they saw the individual struggling and eventually falling into the pit below. Security and crew members quickly intervened to manage the situation.

The intruder was later identified as Guy Hochman, a 35-year-old Israeli comedian known for his controversial social media presence. Prior to the incident, Hochman had been sharing videos of himself with the Israeli flag in the concert crowd. His attempt to reach the stage resulted in a broken rib.

Hochman, recently criticised for his provocative content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, claimed on social media that his stage rush was part of a protest he called 'Operation Athens.' He intended to wrap Chris Martin in the Israeli flag during the performance. In his post-incident explanation, Hochman mentioned he didn't know any Coldplay songs but had attended the concert with fellow Israelis, chanting "Bring Them Home" between songs, referencing Israeli hostages in Gaza. He likened his attempt to negotiate the obstacles to enduring a Nazi concentration camp, a comparison that sparked further controversy.

This incident occurred against a backdrop of Coldplay's routing condemnation of genocide, which many interpret as a stance against the violence in Gaza. Hochman, whose previous actions include controversial skits filmed in Gaza, has been criticised for making light of the serious conflict and supporting resettlement in Palestinian territories.

Coldplay's performance resumed after the interruption, with the band continuing their tour, a strong focus of which is not only their music but also their environmental and humanitarian messages.

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