More than 200 conservative Muslims protested against the cancellation of a Coldplay concert that night in Jakarta, Indonesia ( AP ) over the British band’s support for the LGBTQ+ community.
The protesters carried a sizable banner that read:” Reject, cancel, and disband Coldplay concerts” as they marched about one kilometer ( six miles ) from the Jakarta concert venue where the band was scheduled to perform. It referred to the group as an LGBTQ+ “propagandist,” claiming that their position undermines “faith and values.”
Next month, the same opposition party held protests at a number of locations in Jakarta, including the British Embassy.
Indonesia is liberal and has a longer history of religious compassion, but in recent years, some extremists have gained more notoriety.
Coldplay is known for fusing its principles with its performances, such as the band’s efforts to promote sustainability in the environment. Chris Martin, a direct song, has been known to perform while waving gay pride flags and donning rainbow colours.
The demonstrations come after Southeast Asian concerts were canceled earlier this year due to LGBTQ+-related concerns. After the Indonesian government cut short a music event in the midst of the band’s lead vocalist slamming the nations anti-gay regulations and kissing oaths during their effectiveness, American pop rock group The 1975 canceled its shows in Jakarta and Taipei in July.
After Muslim hard-liners threatened crime if the pop star went away with her” Born This Way Ball” music, Lady Gaga canceled her sold-out present in Indonesia in 2012 due to security concerns.
The” Music Of The Spheres World Tour” by Coldplay includes a musical on Wednesday at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno facility. When selling first opened in May, more than 70,000 tickets were sold in less than two days.
With 1.6 million followers, Jakarta is one of the band’s most popular streaming cities.
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Niniek Karmini, an Associated Press writer in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this article.
