Disturbed’s David Draiman calls for “unity” and addresses Belgium concert cancellation

Posted On October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

During a recent show in the Netherlands, Disturbed frontman David Draiman ordered the audience to join him in a show of unity after a recent concert in Belgium was cancelled.

Draiman said in the clip, which was taken from their recent performance at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on October 14th, “Collectively, we’d like to try to say something. Not just to you, but to the whole world. There have been certain people out there that have been trying to put words in our mouths, trying to make you think that they know what we think about things going on in this world.”

Draiman was referencing the recent cancellation of their Belgium show at the Forest National in Brussels on October 15th after the municipality mayor of Vorst, Belgium, banned the group based on Draiman’s pro-Israel stance. Draiman has faced backlash for his support of the Israeli Defence Forces and for signing an Israeli bomb last year.

The decision was made following a police risk assessment. Notably, there was already a national strike planned on October 14th, and an ongoing prison staff strike, which is draining police resources.

When announcing the cancellation last week, local mayor, Charles Spapens, said in a statement: “My priority and responsibility are the safety of the residents, spectators, demonstrators, and staff at [the venue] Forest National. Given the police’s unfavourable assessment after a risk assessment and the venue’s location, it was my duty to make this decision.”

On stage in Amsterdam, Draiman responded, “Instead of listening to the people who can’t stop talking about everything that they’re so angry about all of the goddamn time, we’re going to tell you from our own mouths how we feel.”

After much applause, he continued, “We, in Disturbed, are all about unity. We’re all about, no matter who you are, no matter what walk of life you walk, no matter where you come from, no matter how much money is in your pocket, you are welcome at these shows. You understand that?”

He also added, “All of the anger that so many people try and instill in us, all of the people in this world who benefit so much from pitting us against each other: We refuse to be defined by those people. The noise of the world doesn’t define us.”

He picked up the pace, continuing, “The conflicts that are going on in this world don’t define us, because in this building, there is no fucking conflict. And it doesn’t matter if you’re Chinese or Taiwanese. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Indian or Pakistani, it doesn’t matter whether you are Israeli or Palestinian. “Everyone is welcome in our house every fucking time we take the stage.”

Draiman then ordered all of the crowd to hold hands with the people next to them and raise them into the air as a symbol of hope and unity. “You see my friends? Sometimes darkness can show you the light.”

Watch the clip shared on their social media below.

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