"Allowing metal band Watain to perform would affect religious and social harmony: Shanmugam
SINGAPORE: Allowing Swedish black metal group Watain's concert to be held in Singapore would be against "public order interest and affect our religious and social harmony", said Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Thursday (Mar 7).
Earlier in the day, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced it was cancelling the group's show scheduled for Thursday evening, as advised by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
IMDA had initially allowed the concert with a rating of Restricted 18 (R18).
"Previously, permission had been given with strict conditions imposed that there should be no offensive songs, that the audience should be limited to I think only 200 or so, and several other conditions," said Mr Shanmugam.
"Nevertheless over the last few days, there were lots of concerns expressed, and if you look at the band they do have a history - very offensive towards Christians and Jews, and supportive of violence, including encouraging the burning of churches.
"They’ve even said they encourage any terrorist acts committed in the name of the band, and various other statements which are quite offensive," he added.
Earlier this week, a Rachel Chan lodged an online petition calling for a ban on Watain, as well as another Swedish metal group Soilwork. Soilwork's concert is scheduled to take place in Singapore this October.
"Their subliminal messages in their songs include death and suicide," Ms Chan had written on the petition page.
When asked if the petition - which had racked up more than 16,000 signatures by Thursday afternoon - influenced MHA's decision in any way, Mr Shanmugam said: "The petition per se did not influence the decision. As I said, it was an assessment made by the ministry, with security as well as public order assessment.
"But certainly the reactions - and we've been discussing with senior clerics, we've been discussing with people in the community - and our assessment took into account their viewpoints. We also discussed with our own MPs as well.""
The field of arts has been controversial as some artists' idea of expression of creativity r not palatable to some people in certain fields like: religion or moralistic belief.
I hv NEVER heard of this Watain black metal band before this news broke. I STOP myself fr watching YouTube n other channels of the band as I will b confused n put off by the described spreading pig blood on "unsuspecting" listeners n lyrics that promote cruelty, violence, terrorism n suicide, Satanism, etc.
I m NOT SURE how many young people will visit their materials online NOW!
So if them being here n performing is so dangerous, should IMDA, MHA n other law enforcement agencies BLOCK access to their online materials like any other antisocial, violent n generally very negative materials??
Besides the inconvenience for the organisers n paying fans n the band who r already in Sgp n ready to play, this episode probably expose the officers in charge that perhaps even VERY RESTRICTED n CONTROLLED rating n safeguard of the performance STILL may not b as powerful as a 16k petition signatures!
Especially if we believe GE is round the corner!
So, despite what Minister Shanmugam had said, the 16k signatures appealing to stop this very small concert dead in its track is a BIG Factor!!
Hv we overreacted? Will a crowd of 200(n +) acts out the subliminal messages of anti-Christian, terrorist act, commit suicides, etc.? Probably not though when it comes to "security", prudence n overly cautious approach is preferred.
I wonder what the band made of this episode? Sgp folks r easily influenced unlike the Swedes?? Or maybe we should NEVER hv let these bands in ever!!??
SINGAPORE: Allowing Swedish black metal group Watain's concert to be held in Singapore would be against "public order interest and affect our religious and social harmony", said Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Thursday (Mar 7).
Earlier in the day, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced it was cancelling the group's show scheduled for Thursday evening, as advised by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
IMDA had initially allowed the concert with a rating of Restricted 18 (R18).
"Previously, permission had been given with strict conditions imposed that there should be no offensive songs, that the audience should be limited to I think only 200 or so, and several other conditions," said Mr Shanmugam.
"Nevertheless over the last few days, there were lots of concerns expressed, and if you look at the band they do have a history - very offensive towards Christians and Jews, and supportive of violence, including encouraging the burning of churches.
"They’ve even said they encourage any terrorist acts committed in the name of the band, and various other statements which are quite offensive," he added.
Earlier this week, a Rachel Chan lodged an online petition calling for a ban on Watain, as well as another Swedish metal group Soilwork. Soilwork's concert is scheduled to take place in Singapore this October.
"Their subliminal messages in their songs include death and suicide," Ms Chan had written on the petition page.
When asked if the petition - which had racked up more than 16,000 signatures by Thursday afternoon - influenced MHA's decision in any way, Mr Shanmugam said: "The petition per se did not influence the decision. As I said, it was an assessment made by the ministry, with security as well as public order assessment.
"But certainly the reactions - and we've been discussing with senior clerics, we've been discussing with people in the community - and our assessment took into account their viewpoints. We also discussed with our own MPs as well.""
The field of arts has been controversial as some artists' idea of expression of creativity r not palatable to some people in certain fields like: religion or moralistic belief.
I hv NEVER heard of this Watain black metal band before this news broke. I STOP myself fr watching YouTube n other channels of the band as I will b confused n put off by the described spreading pig blood on "unsuspecting" listeners n lyrics that promote cruelty, violence, terrorism n suicide, Satanism, etc.
I m NOT SURE how many young people will visit their materials online NOW!
So if them being here n performing is so dangerous, should IMDA, MHA n other law enforcement agencies BLOCK access to their online materials like any other antisocial, violent n generally very negative materials??
Besides the inconvenience for the organisers n paying fans n the band who r already in Sgp n ready to play, this episode probably expose the officers in charge that perhaps even VERY RESTRICTED n CONTROLLED rating n safeguard of the performance STILL may not b as powerful as a 16k petition signatures!
Especially if we believe GE is round the corner!
So, despite what Minister Shanmugam had said, the 16k signatures appealing to stop this very small concert dead in its track is a BIG Factor!!
Hv we overreacted? Will a crowd of 200(n +) acts out the subliminal messages of anti-Christian, terrorist act, commit suicides, etc.? Probably not though when it comes to "security", prudence n overly cautious approach is preferred.
I wonder what the band made of this episode? Sgp folks r easily influenced unlike the Swedes?? Or maybe we should NEVER hv let these bands in ever!!??
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