Lady Gaga axes Indonesia show on threats
Source: Agencies |
May 28, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
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LADY Gaga has canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia over security concerns after Muslim hard-liners threatened violence if the pop diva went ahead with her "Born This Way Ball," promoters said yesterday.
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) said Lady Gaga's sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt youth in the world's most populous Muslim country.
The group said supporters had bought tickets to the concert and planned to enter and force it to be stopped. It also threatened that thousands of protesters would confront the singer on her way from the airport.
Police had said they would only issue the required permits for the concert if Lady Gaga agreed to tone things down. Instead, she pulled the plug on the show, which had sold out with more than 50,000 tickets.
"With threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga's side is calling off the concert," Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for concert promoter Big Daddy, told reporters yesterday.
"This is not only about Lady Gaga's security, but extends to those who will be watching her."
Music lovers in Jakarta expressed outrage that the threats were able to force the show's cancellation. Lady Gaga fan Johnny Purba, 25, called it an embarrassment to Indonesia.
"This only shows to the world how weak security forces are in this country, how police are afraid of a bunch of hard-liners," Purba said.
"Gaga's two-hour show will not hurt Indonesian Muslims. For God's sake, she is not a terrorist!"
Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million people, is often held up by the US and others in the West as example of how Islam and democracy can coexist.
Ninety percent of the population is Muslim, but most practice a moderate, tolerant form of Islam.
A small, extremist fringe, has gotten more vocal - and violent - in recent years, however, sometimes attacking Christians and members of other religious minorities with clubs and machetes.
They also targeted transvestites, atheists and others considered "blasphemous."
Jakarta was supposed to be the biggest stop on Lady Gaga's Asian tour, with 52,000 tickets bought in just a few days. Fans will be fully refunded, said Michael Rusli, head of Big Daddy.
The FPI, which threatened to meet Lady Gaga with tens of thousands of angry supporters if she dared step off the plane in the capital, celebrated news of her cancellation.
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) said Lady Gaga's sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt youth in the world's most populous Muslim country.
The group said supporters had bought tickets to the concert and planned to enter and force it to be stopped. It also threatened that thousands of protesters would confront the singer on her way from the airport.
Police had said they would only issue the required permits for the concert if Lady Gaga agreed to tone things down. Instead, she pulled the plug on the show, which had sold out with more than 50,000 tickets.
"With threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga's side is calling off the concert," Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for concert promoter Big Daddy, told reporters yesterday.
"This is not only about Lady Gaga's security, but extends to those who will be watching her."
Music lovers in Jakarta expressed outrage that the threats were able to force the show's cancellation. Lady Gaga fan Johnny Purba, 25, called it an embarrassment to Indonesia.
"This only shows to the world how weak security forces are in this country, how police are afraid of a bunch of hard-liners," Purba said.
"Gaga's two-hour show will not hurt Indonesian Muslims. For God's sake, she is not a terrorist!"
Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million people, is often held up by the US and others in the West as example of how Islam and democracy can coexist.
Ninety percent of the population is Muslim, but most practice a moderate, tolerant form of Islam.
A small, extremist fringe, has gotten more vocal - and violent - in recent years, however, sometimes attacking Christians and members of other religious minorities with clubs and machetes.
They also targeted transvestites, atheists and others considered "blasphemous."
Jakarta was supposed to be the biggest stop on Lady Gaga's Asian tour, with 52,000 tickets bought in just a few days. Fans will be fully refunded, said Michael Rusli, head of Big Daddy.
The FPI, which threatened to meet Lady Gaga with tens of thousands of angry supporters if she dared step off the plane in the capital, celebrated news of her cancellation.
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