Concert by Maxim Galkin in Istanbul cancelled after protests over his stance on Israel

Concert cancelled

The concert by Russian showman Maxim Galkin, scheduled for October 25, 2026 at 19:00 in the Harbiye hall of the Istanbul Congress Center, did not take place. This was reported by the Turkish broadcaster TRT, which is cited by publications of Daryo.uz in Uzbek and Russian. The performance was cancelled after protests sparked by the artist's public support for Israel: after the announcement appeared in Turkish media and social networks, a campaign was launched demanding that the performance be prevented.

The reason — the artist's statements since 2023

According to TRT, the reason was Galkin's statements, who has supported Israel since October 2023, justifies strikes on Gaza and declares his readiness to personally take part in combat operations. After Hamas's October 7, 2023 operation, the artist issued a statement in support of Israel, ending it with the words 'Israel will win,' and on October 9 he explained that he, together with his wife Alla Pugacheva and their children, had decided to stay in Israel: 'I am Jewish on my mother's side. That is why we chose Israel and do not regret it for a single minute.' In the same statement, he declared his readiness to defend Israel with arms in hand, noting that he also had the opportunity to support the country in another way.

Resonant statements of 2024

A new wave of resonance arose after the operation by Israeli forces in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza on June 8, 2024, during which four hostages were freed, but, according to the figures cited, 274 Palestinians were killed and hundreds were wounded. Commenting on the operation, Galkin wrote 'Israel, I am proud of you!' and called the fallen Israeli police commander Arnon Zamora a hero. On June 10, 2024, he published an 11-point statement in which he defended Israel's actions, questioned reports of a humanitarian catastrophe, claiming that 'Gaza is absolutely free since 2005' and 'there is no food problem in Gaza,' and also accused Hamas of manipulating casualty statistics. The Daryo.uz editorial team notes, however, that according to the information available to it, more than 22,000 children were killed as a result of Israel's strikes on Gaza — citing UN reports and investigations by human rights organizations.

Reaction of the organizers

Galkin expressed regret over the cancellation of the performance and published a statement from the organizers. It says that the concert will not take place due to an 'official decision of the Governor of Istanbul prohibiting the holding of the event on grounds of public order and safety.' It emphasizes that the decision was made by Turkish state authorities and does not depend on the will of the organizers, the artist, or other participants, and that holding the concert on the scheduled date is 'legally impossible.' The organizers apologized to the spectators who had planned to attend the event.

Context and significance

The cancellation shows that the artist's public statements about the conflict in Gaza have direct practical consequences for his touring activities: the decision by the Turkish authorities made holding the concert legally impossible, despite the organizers' readiness. Those affected first of all are the spectators who bought tickets, to whom the organizers apologized. At the same time, it remains unknown whether the concert was postponed to another date or cancelled outright, and whether the artist plans performances in other Turkish cities — sources do not provide this information.