Rod Stewart booed at German concert for Ukraine support

BERLIN

British pop star Rod Stewart was booed at a concert in Germany while making a show of support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, German media reported on June 16.

The singer paid tribute to Ukraine as he introduced the song "Rhythm of My Heart" at his sold-out concert in Leipzig on June 14, according to the Tag 24 news outlet.

Wearing the colors of the Ukrainian flag, he dedicated the song to the Ukrainian people and army before shouting a profane insult against Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Tag 24.

As he performed the song, images of the war, the Ukrainian flag and President Volodymyr Zelensky were shown on the screen behind him.

The audience responded with a chorus of loud boos and whistles, according to several media reports.

The "Maggie May" singer has previously been vocal in his support for Ukraine and reportedly rented a house for Ukrainian refugees in Britain.

According to German media, his support for Ukraine had been well received at previous concerts in Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Germany has been a staunch backer of Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Michael Roth, a foreign policy expert for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD, on June 16 called Stewart the "hero of the day."

"Thanks for your solidarity with the Ukrainian people!" he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

But public opinion remains split on the issue, with some fearing Germany's backing for Kiev could risk escalating the war while others resent the amount of money being spent on Ukraine.

German far-left and far-right parties that are opposed to the government's backing for Ukraine both scored major gains in last week's EU elections.