Palestinian-Armenian DJ Nanoos detained in Manchester on terrorism accusations

Palestinian-Armenian DJ Nanoos was detained in Manchester on accusations of terrorism following an incident described as a “right-wing demonstration.” The incident took place on July 18th, the day after the Chicago-based artist headlined a Pardee Bass event at Northern Quarter venue Soup. Wearing a keffiyeh, Nanoos allegedly engaged with a gathering she believed to be a vigil for Iranian victims of war, but turned out to be a right-wing demonstration, per a statement she shared to Instagram yesterday. She was then detained for 11 hours by Greater Manchester Police on accusations of terrorism. Her phone remains confiscated by the police. The artist was told she couldn’t leave the country until she reported back to the police the following week on July 25th. When she returned to the station, she was told there had been no movement on the case, and while she was free to leave the country, her phone was not returned. Nanoos has launched a fundraiser, which has since raised over $5,000, to cover lost travel expenses and gig fees, costs of staying in Manchester and future legal fees as the investigation continues. She was previously set to continue her European tour through Edinburgh, Glasgow and Berlin. “I never thought something like this would happen to me,” she wrote on her donation page. “And although DJing looks glamorous, the income is really rough, and there’s no safety net when everything falls apart at once.”