During the curtain call of Saturday night’s performance of ‘Il trovatore’ at London’s Royal Opera House, a cast member spontaneously unfurled a large Palestinian flag in apparent protest. Opera House staff attempted to wrestle the flag away, leading to a brief on-stage scuffle as the performer resisted. The Royal Opera House condemned the action as ‘completely inappropriate’ and stated it violated their commitment to political neutrality. Audience reactions were divided, with some calling the protest ‘brave’ while others felt it ‘spoiled the atmosphere’ of the closing performance. The incident occurred amid ongoing conflict in Gaza, though the performer’s identity remains unknown.