Eagles of Death Metal concerts cancelled
May 20, 2016
The Rock en Seine and Cabaret Vert festivals announced Friday that the band would no longer feature in their line-ups after its singer Jesse Hughes said in a magazine interview that he "saw Muslims celebrating in the street" during the November 13 attack on the Bataclan theater.
The festival organizers said they were in "total disagreement" with the allegations.
In an interview titled "Surrendering to Death" published May 14 in the online "Taki's Magazine," Hughes also blamed "the liberal mentality" for fans' deaths. He also said he'd spotted at least one of the attackers in the venue before the concert. The online magazine is a publication of conservative commentator Taki Theodoracopulos.
On November 13 last year, the Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan Theater was targeted by suicide bombers and shooters who killed 90 people. It was the deadliest in a coordinated series of terror attacks in Paris. In February, the band returned to Paris for a show that was described as triumphant and emotionally charged.
Hughes is known for his pro-gun stance, conservative politics and support of Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
se/msh (AP, AFP, dpa)