Noel Gallagher criticised for “belittling the experience of disabled music fans” after Glastonbury comments

"Those disabled cats have a great view of everything," he said after watching a set at the festival on a disabled platform

Noel Gallagher has been criticised for “belittling the experience of disabled music fans” after comments he made about his experience at Glastonbury Festival.

After the Oasis man played the Pyramid Stage on the festival’s Saturday night (June 25), he remained at Worthy Farm to watch a number of sets, including Jamie T‘s headline slot on the John Peel Stage on Sunday night.

On a new appearance on The Matt Morgan Podcast, Gallagher revealed that, unable to get a vantage point for the show at the front, he and his friends instead watched from the tent’s disabled platform, which he said he didn’t initially realise the purpose of.

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He said: “[We] couldn’t get to the bit on stage because we were fucking wasted,” so showed his pass and said “this lot are with me, and we walked on to this platform – unbeknownst to us it was the disabled platform”.

Noel then added: “I said: ‘See that pass mate? It gets me any-fucking-where,” going on to joke that he would have tipped a disabled fan out of their wheelchair for his son to get a better view, and have touched disabled fans on the forehead, telling them: “Rise, you can walk”.

“I gotta say, those disabled cats have a great view of everything,” he added.

Following the quotes, disability equality charity Scope has criticised Gallagher on Twitter, writing: “Reports of Noel Gallagher’s behaviour at Glastonbury were upsetting enough. But to hear him boast about his actions, and openly mock disabled people in the process, is beyond insulting.”

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They added: “Noel may belittle the experience of disabled music fans. But for many, the reality of attending live music and festivals can be stressful and upsetting.”

“Accessible platforms at events aren’t for privileged rock stars and their friends,” the tweets continued. “They exist so that disabled people can enjoy live music with fewer barriers.”

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