Another sign of restricting the freedom of art has been detected, this time in Ireland. Kevin Sheehan, Irish councillor, has requested from the Minister For Justice to stop Behemoth, the Polish black metallers, from playing in Limerick, Ireland, next week. The Polish band is scheduled to perform at King John’s Castle on June 17, together with Amon Amarth.
Sheehan said: “To me, the objection is well founded and it’s quite justified. Satanism is associated with evil. And I’m a Christian. I wouldn’t be blowing my trumpet too loud about that. I’m an average Christian, if there’s such a thing. And what I am against totally is anything to do with Satanism and with evil thoughts, music or practices.” And continued: “We have laws in this country. The justice minister, Charlie Flanagan, about a month ago decided to exercise a 1999 act which allowed him to prevent a pastor from America, a guy called Steven Anderson, and he had anti-Semitic and anti-gay views, and he was prevented, because of those views, from coming to Ireland. So I was calling on the minister to give serious consideration to using the same laws to prevent these Satanic people from coming to Limerick next Monday.”
