The band said performing at a state-owned arena could be seen as endorsing a government attack on human rights

British band Massive Attack have pulled out of a concert in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, in protest against the government’s “attack on basic human rights”.

The decision to cancel the performance at the Black Sea Arena was first announced by organisers, who claimed that it had been made due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

In a statement issued a few hours later on Wednesday, the trip-hop band clarified that they feared appearing in Georgia would be seen as an endorsement of the country’s political leadership.

Critics at home and abroad have been further alarmed this month by a draft law that would prevent same-sex marriages from being registered and ensure that only “heterosexuals” could adopt children.

At the same time, references to LGBTQ+ people would be erased from public spaces under the draft legislation, and schools would be banned from making available information that supposedly “promotes belonging to the opposite sex, same-sex relations or incest”.

  • AWildMimicAppears@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    762·
    12 days ago

    I feel for the fans, but it’s the right signal at a critical time. Artists have the means to sway the public opinion and energize people.

    Compare that to the private Foo Fighters gig for Amazon execs, which cost a ton while they were kicking out workers because “every dollar counts”.

    • Soup@lemmy.worldEnglish
      17·
      12 days ago

      Or Sting playing for Microsoft execs on an island retreat.

      It’s like, they don’t need the money so what the hell are they doing?

      • JoeBigelowEnglish
        4·
        11 days ago

        They’re friends, most of the super wealthy are.

  • sudo@programming.devEnglish
    5·
    12 days ago

    [The law] obliges media and civil society organisations with over 20% of their revenues from abroad to register as “organisations serving the interests of a foreign power”.

  • nifty@lemmy.worldEnglish
    51·
    11 days ago

    It’s unreasonable to group same-sex relationships with incest. Incest creates psychological power imbalance and damage even between siblings, so thats not a healthy relationship mode to encourage. The main reason why people care so much about each others relationships is because of the community strife and conflict they can possibly create. It’s absolutely bonkers to include homosexuality in this ban.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    21·
    12 days ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    In a statement issued a few hours later on Wednesday, the trip-hop band clarified that they feared appearing in Georgia would be seen as an endorsement of the country’s political leadership.

    The US state department has also raised its concerns that the “Kremlin-inspired law” is evidence that the country’s government is realigning with Moscow three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

    Critics at home and abroad have been further alarmed this month by a draft law that would prevent same-sex marriages from being registered and ensure that only “heterosexuals” could adopt children.

    At the same time, references to LGBTQ+ people would be erased from public spaces under the draft legislation, and schools would be banned from making available information that supposedly “promotes belonging to the opposite sex, same-sex relations or incest”.

    “Beatings, arrests, threats and violence against peaceful protesters, activists and opponents, along with laws smearing civil society and denying LGBTI rights, go against everything we stand for.”

    The Bristol band added that they stood in “solidarity with peaceful protesters in Georgia defying state violence and feel that it is their voices that need to be heard and their struggle that needs to be under the international spotlight”.

    The original article contains 397 words, the summary contains 200 words. Saved 50%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • boatsnhos931@lemmy.worldEnglish
    216·
    11 days ago

    Things must be rough to tour in Georgia. I heard you pay hookers and junkies on stationary bikes to power the speakers and light show

  • doingthestuff@lemmy.worldEnglish
    731·
    12 days ago

    They should do a show in the US Georgia instead, which is what the headline made me think of anyway.

    For the downvoters, just a reminder that US Georgia is twice as big and has three times the people.