OutRage News Service..
July 7th. 11.03 am. ( Back to the music stores boyz and girlz and get their records removed !!! (etc)... p)


Buju Banton & Beenie Man concerts axed

Singers continue to urge the killing of gays, so the truce is over

London – 7 July 2006

Concerts by reggae stars Buju Banton and Beenie Man have been
cancelled in Brighton and Bournemouth following successful lobbying of
council leaders and police by local gay community organisations, with
the support of gay human rights group OutRage!

Banton had been due to perform in Brighton at the Concorde 2 venue on
5 July, and Beenie was scheduled to sing at Bournemouth International
Centre on 29 July.

The cancellation follows both singers’ repeated advocacy of the murder
of lesbians and gay men.

"We applaud the decision of the police and council to oppose the
performance of a singer who advocates the murder of gays and lesbians.
Incitement to murder is a criminal offence. Free speech does not
include the right to encourage the killing of other human beings,"
said Peter Tatchell of OutRage!

"Inciting the murder of gays is no different to inciting the murder of
Black or Jewish people. All incitements to murder are criminal
offences and should be prosecuted," he added.

OutRage! lobbied the police and council to use their powers (under
Section 161 of the Licensing Act 2003), which permit the police to
close a licensed premises on the grounds of a possible risk to public
safety and public order.

"It could be reasonably argued that the presence of a large number of
homophobic fans of an avowedly homophobic singer would threaten the
safety and security of the town’s gay citizens as the fans leave the
venue - a risk that would have been compounded by the presence of gay
bars not far from the vicinity of the concert," said Mr Tatchell.

Section 161 was used by Manchester police to halt a “murder music”
concert last year.

"We had an agreement. Buju Banton, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer have
broken that agreement. As far as they are concerned, the truce is
over. The campaign against them has resumed. We will maintain the
truce with the other singers who have stuck by the agreement,” said Mr
Tatchell.

"Buju's records inciting homophobic murder are still on sale and Buju
is still profiting from his murder music," added Tatchell.

"We are told by human rights colleagues in Jamaica that that he has
publicly performed Boom Bye Bye in the last year.

"This song incites the murder of gay men. It urges people to shoot
gays in the head, pour acid over them and burn them alive.

“In April this year, on BBC Radio 1Xtra!, Banton defended Boom Bye Bye
and his violent homophobic hatred, claiming he was entitled to his
murderous opinions.

"Banton has never apologised for Boom Bye Bye. His record company did
apologise many, many years ago (in the early 1990s) but Banton then
repudiated the apology and reiterated his homophobic incitements to
murder.

"He has since regularly performed Boom Bye Bye. He has also
re-released Boom Bye Bye on compilation albums. These are not the
actions of a man who shows regret or remorse.

"Buju Banton narrowly escaped conviction earlier this year for a
violent assault on gay men in their home in Kingston, Jamaica. These
gay men are adamant that Banton was one of gang who homophobically
abused and beat them.

"Banton is an unrepentant homophobe who has incited the killing of gay
people. Inciting murder is a criminal offence in every country.

"Even if Banton agrees not to perform Boom Bye Bye, this is
unacceptable. To give him a concert platform would be the equivalent
of hosting a neo-Nazi singer on the condition that he promised not to
sing about gassing Jews.

"Since I am sure no venue would host a singer who called for the
lynching of black people, we expect the authorities to take a similar
tough stance against singers who call for the shooting and burning of
gay people.

"We want zero tolerance towards incitements to murder gays and
lesbians,” said Mr Tatchell.

"As well as Buju Banton, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer have also
violated the agreement to end lyrics and statements inciting the
murder of gays and lesbians.

"The 'Last Hurrah' carnival concert in Jamaica, on 3 April 2005, was
sponsored by Supreme Ventures, Red Stripe beer and others.

"It is alleged by various people who were at the concert, and others
who watched it on TV, that both Beenie Man and Bounty Killer sang
songs, and / or made statements from the stage, which either
encouraged the murder of lesbians and gays, or reaffirmed their
previous encouragements to kill queers,” said Mr Tatchell.

It is reported that Beenie Man came on stage and sang a song he wrote
about not apologising for his lyrics that encourage the killing of gay
people.

He said words like:

"Me not apologising to no funnyman (gay man)".

This song and statement amounts to a reaffirmation of his previous
lyrics advocating the murder of lesbians and gay men.

Bounty Killer followed in a similar vein, saying:

"Man that come here to look pon man fi dead" (a man who comes here to
look on another man must die)

In the context, this was an incitement to kill gay men.

Other comments from the artists variously included:

"Fire fi the man dem that looking man" (burn gay men)

"Gunshot for a funnyman" (shoot gay men)

"Both Beenie Man and Bounty Killer have, in the view of the Jamaican
gay rights group J-Flag, broken the letter and the spirit of the
agreement we reached to suspend the Stop Murder Music campaign.

"The promoters of the Last Hurrah concert, including Red Stripe, have
taken a similar view. They announced the withdrawal of all sponsorship
from Beenie Man and Bounty Killer - and from events with which they
are involved," said Mr Tatchell.

Further information: Brett Lock OutRage! 07xxx xxxxxx.

ENDS
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