U2 pays tribute to those killed in Israel music festival attack
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — U2 paid tribute in song on Sunday to those killed by Gaza militants at a music festival in Southern Israel over the weekend.
During their performance at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, Bono dedicated their song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” to the hundreds killed in the attack at the Nova Festival held outside Re’im.
“In the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence,” Bono told the Las Vegas audience. “But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed. So sing with us… and those beautiful kids at that music festival.”
Israeli officials counted at least 260 bodies near the site of the festival, where earlier footage showed carefree partygoers from Israel and overseas dancing in the desert soon after sunrise on Saturday.
Some survivors are among more than 100 hostages that the militant group Hamas claims to be holding in Gaza, according to friends and family members who have seen them in videos shared on social platforms.
“It was a festival of music and peace,” Bono told the audience. “A festival of music and peace. Can you imagine?”
Bono changed some of the lyrics of their song to reflect the tragedy.
“Early morning, October 7th,” he sang. “The sun is rising in the desert sky / Stars of David, they took your life / But they could not take your pride.”
“Pride (In the Name of Love)” originally paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. and referenced his assassination on April 4, 1968 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sunday’s performance of “Pride” was preceded by “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” It was followed by “MLK,” according to videos shared by concertgoers on social media.
The-CNN-Wire
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CNN’s Paul P. Murphy, Teele Rebane and Brad Lendon contributed to this story
