■ Peter Tatchell: “A white singer who called for the killing of black people would be banned from performing.”

LONDON, March 27, 2008  –  Jamaican “murder music” hate-monger, Bounty Killer, has had two of his three UK concerts cancelled in the last week, following a campaign by the gay human rights group OutRage!

His concerts in Bradford and Birmingham were axed, losing him thousands of pounds in performance fees.

In Germany, Bounty Killer’s performance in Essen was cancelled and other German concert dates are now in doubt.

Gay human rights groups are coordinating a Europe-wide campaign to halt his “Deadly Alliance” tour of the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland.

They are supported by the Caribbean-wide C-Flag coalition of black gay and straight human rights organisations who are demanding an end to “murder music” in the Caribbean and worldwide.

“Bounty Killer has performed murder music songs and has ridiculed other singers who have agreed to halt their encouragement of queer-bashing attacks,” said Peter Tatchell of OutRage! who coordinated the British concert cancellation campaign with his colleague David Allison.

“Bounty Killer bragged that he was invincible.  He vowed his concerts would go ahead and boasted that no gays could stop him.  Look who's crying now.

“There must be zero tolerance of singers like Bounty Killer who advocate the murder of other human beings," Mr Tatchell insisted.

“A white singer who called for the killing of black people would be banned from performing,” he continued.

“A similar ban should also apply to singers who incite the murder of gays and lesbians.  Incitement to violence and murder is a criminal offence in every country in the world.  We want the law enforced.

“We have no problem with reggae or dancehall music – only with singers who abuse the genre to incite violence against lesbian and gay people.

“There are many great reggae and dancehall stars who do not stoop to murder music. We salute them.

“There is no need for singers to spout violent anti-gay hatred.  They choose to do so.  It is wilful and malicious homophobia and therefore they must expect to suffer a backlash.

“Our campaign is in solidarity with black lesbian and gay people in Jamaica and the Caribbean who suffer nightmarish levels of homophobic violence.  We are acting at their request and in support of their right to live their lives free of the threat of violence.

“"Bounty Killer is a big-headed, bare-faced bigot. He has released songs inciting the killing of gay people and defended his right to demand death to queers.

“Six other top Jamaican singers have signed the Reggae Compassionate Act but Bounty Killer has refused.  Under the RCA, artistes agree to not perform songs that encourage or glorify violence, including homophobic violence, Mr. Tatchell pointed out.

In contrast to other police forces in Britain, such as the West Midlands Police, who prevented Bounty Killer’s Birmingham concert from going ahead, the Metropolitan Police gave the green light to his show at the Stratford Rex in East London.

A spokesperson for the West Midlands Police in Birmingham said the concert, scheduled for last Saturday (March 22) in the city had been cancelled “following a meeting between the police, the promoters and the owners of the venue” on the morning of Thursday March 20.

“At the request of West Midlands Police, it was agreed that the event should not go ahead due to specific and credible information received by police, which raised concerns for public safety,” the spokesperson said.

“It is regrettable that this event had to be cancelled, however the safety of those attending, and the local community has to be West Midlands Police’s first consideration.”

Mr. Tatchell said that the Metropolitan Police are back-tracking on past agreements.

“Previously they said singers would not be allowed to perform unless they signed the RCA.  This was the precondition for Buju Banton’s concert to proceed at the Brixton Academy last year.

“The police seem to be letting Bounty Killer off the hook,” Mr. Tatchell suggested.

“Police claims that they are cracking down on homophobic hate crimes now look like a public relations stunt at the expense of the lesbian and gay community.

“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 singer, full stop,” he said.

“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?

“Equivalent racist performers would have their concerts cancelled by the Metropolitan Police,” said Mr Tatchell.

UK Gay News has tried to get a comment from the Metropolitan Police.  Alas, their press office has a recorded message for the past hour: “You have reached the Metropolitan Police press bureau. We are unable to take your call at the moment.  But your call is important to us, so please ring back.”

Any comment from the Met Police will be posted here when received.

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