Monday, April 21, 2008

Not making a killing

By Peter Tatchell

Homophobic singer Bounty Killer is facing ruin after cities across Europe refused to host his concerts. London should have done the same

Anti-gay Jamaican "murder music" singer, Bounty Killer, is facing financial meltdown as his European tour is besieged by protests and concert cancellations.

Despite the shameful collusion of the Metropolitan police with this notorious singer, Bounty Killer's UK tour dates outside London - in Bradford and Birmingham - were axed, losing him thousands of pounds in performance fees. In Germany, Bounty Killer's concerts in Dortmund, Essen and Berlin were also cancelled, together with his gig in Antwerp, Belgium.

They are objecting to his explicit incitements to murder gays and lesbians. Incitement to murder is a criminal offence.

The collusion of the Met is shocking. They allowed Bounty Killer's London concert to go ahead. This is total hypocrisy. A white racist singer who advocated killing black people would not be allowed to perform anywhere in London, even if he agreed to not incite the killing of black people at his concert. The police would argue that any stage performance would threaten public order and community relations. They would ban the performance, full stop.

Yet when it comes to straight homophobic singers who urge the murder of gay people, the police adopt a softer stance. They let the concert go ahead. Why the double standards?

full article

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