Egypt is banning Mashrou' Leila from performing in the country

Late on Sunday, Egypt's Musicians syndicate said it will be banning Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila from performing concerts in the country. 

In a statement made on live television, the syndicate's lawyer Dr. Reda Rajab spoke against the band, saying their concert should have been 'forbidden.' 

Towards the end of his statement, Rajab said: "We have already made a decision on the matter, Mashrou' Leila will be banned from performing in Egypt. We just need the support of the country's general security on the matter."

This comes a few days after the successful band performed to a sold-out crowd of 35,000 in Egypt's Cairo Festival City.  

Two other bands, Al Moraba'a and Sharmoofers, also performed at the concert, which was held on September 22. 

Images of fans purportedly carrying the LGBTQ pride rainbow flags during the show sparked controversy in Egypt. 

A social media frenzy targeting Mashrou' Leila ensued, with many calling for a blanket ban on all the band's future performances in the country. 

However, thousands of fans also hit back at what they labeled as a 'regressive and unacceptable' attack on the band. 

StepFeed reached out to one of the band's members, who said the group will not be issuing a statement on the matter at the time being and will officially respond once the full details are out. 

He also added that the band is currently busy preparing for their upcoming performances. 

In a Facebook post it shared on Sunday, Egypt's Al Nour political party said it has also asked Egypt's parliament to take action against the band. 

Party member Mohammad Salah Khalifa demanded that people involved in issuing permits for Mashrou' Leila's concert be punished and persecuted. 

"This is the first time they do something right."  

"This kind of band isn't accepted in most countries, how were they even allowed in Egypt?"

"We weren't waiting for Mashrou' Leila's concert to raise our flag or prove that we're here. We exist and we'll keep going right until the end. These images are just a few examples; if you've got more send them over."

As Mashrou' Leila's fan base continues to grow across the Arab world, authorities in several countries in the region seem adamant on blocking its success.  

Earlier this year, the group was banned from performing a concert in Jordan for the second year in a row. 

It was scheduled to perform in the Jordanian capital on June 27, having gained approval from the country's tourism ministry and obtained all necessary permits. 

Tens of ministers and members of parliament had reportedly signed a petition against the performance, only to be followed by an official decision by the ministry of interior.

At the time, the band published an official statement on the matter and assured their fans that it "will not change anything about how we go about making and performing our music."

The band also added that despite the incident, it will continue to defend the Muslim community, all the while publicly supporting the LGBTQ+ community.