LONDON, July 7, 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 July 5, and Beenie was scheduled to sing at Bournemouth International Centre on  July 29.

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,” Peter Tatchell of Outrage! said this morning.

“Incitement to murder is a criminal offence.  Free speech does not include the right to encourage the killing of other human beings.

“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.

“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.

"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.

“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, Outrage! says.

Other comments from the artists variously included:  “"Fire fi the man dem that looking man”, (burn gay men) and “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,” Mr. Tatchell said.

“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, he concluded.

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