Bryan Adams cancels Mississippi gig in protest at new anti-gay law
By Will Stroude
Bryan Adams has cancelled a planned gig in Mississippi this week, citing the US state’s recently-introduced anti-gay law allowing discrimination against LGBT people.
The ‘Heaven’ singer announced this morning that he will not be playing Thursday’s show at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, saying he couldn’t “in good conscience” perform in a state where “certain people are being denied their civil rights due to their sexual orientation.”
Passed last week, Mississippi’s ‘Religious Liberty’ bill 1523 permits businesses and organisations to refuse service to LGBT people on the grounds of religious freedom. It is due to come into force from July 1.
In a statement on Instagram, Adams said he found it “incomprehensible” that LGBT people will be able to be legally discriminated against in the state, and conformed that he would not be performing there this week.
“Using my voice I stand in solidarity with all my LGBT friends to repeal this extremely discriminatory bill”, the 53-year-old wrote.
“Hopefully Mississippi will right itself and I can come back and perform for all of my many fans. I look forward to that day. #stop1523”
Adams is the latest in a ever-growing list of stars to voice their disapproval of the controversial new legislation, after Ellen DeGeneres and ABC’s Robin Roberts also made public statements denouncing the bill.
The musical star’s live boycott also comes just days after fellow US rocker Bruce Springsteen cancelled a gig in North Carolina following the passage of a similar anti-gay law.
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