We know for sure that Maroon 5’s upcoming Shanghai show has been cancelled, but we don’t officially know why yet. That hasn’t hasn’t stopped people from speculating though, and they’ve zeroed in on a band member’s tweet expressing support for the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader.

Maroon 5 recently mysteriously dropped the September 12th date from the band’s tour schedule, but they are keeping their other shows in Asia, including Hong Kong. Chinese fans became suspicious that Maroon 5 may have gotten themselves banned in China when news came that band member Jesse Carmichael tweeted a birthday congratulations to the Dalai Lama after reportedly attending celebrations with him on July 4.

Shanghaiist translates some reaction from the Chinese Internet:

“When it comes to matters of a country’s dignity and territorial claims, there can be no compromise. Musicians should stick to music and do their thing. Why bother with politics?”

“It’s okay to have political opinions, but it’s not okay to be illogical. Does he (Jesse Carmichael) have any idea what Dalai Lama has done in Tibet?”

“Country before idol.”

“Such a shame. I really liked their song ‘Sugar’.”

“I believe Jesse (Carmichael) did not mean any malice. I also understand the government’s attitude. The fans are the ones who suffer.”

“Does attending a friend’s birthday party equal agreeing with his political views?”

Maroon 5 joins a long line up of Western performers that have run afoul of Chinese authorities.

During the Occupy Central protests last year, smooth jazz musician Kenny G infuriated China’s foreign ministry when he tweeted a picture in which he appeared in front of a protest sign. In 2009, Oasis was banned from performing in Shanghai and Beijing when the Ministry of Culture discovered the band had performed for a Free Tibet concert a decade prior. The most incendiary incident was in 2008, when Icelandic singer said the words “Tibet! Tibet!” during the closing number Declare Independence at a Shanghai concert right before the lyrics “raise your flag”.

But Western performers that earn approval to perform in China still have to conform to the wishes of Chinese authorities.

After being denied permission to play in Beijing and Shanghai in 2010, Bob Dylan was able to perform in Beijing using a list of songs that had been approved by Chinese authorities. In 2008, Harry Connick Jr. performed a show in Shanghai that mainly consisted of him playing solo piano despite bringing a big band with him. Reports say he was forced to abandon his current show when his playlist of songs was rejected.

In 2006 after downplaying the banning of such songs as Let’s Spend the Night Together as “no big deal”, Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones countered the criticism with, “I’m pleased that the Ministry of Culture is protecting the morals of the expat bankers and their girlfriends.”