Copenhagen Social Democratic Councillor Lars Aslan Rasmussen is attempting to get Copenhagen Council to stop a concert by the Jamaican reggae musician Miguel Orlando Collins – better known as Sizzla Kalonji – in a council-funded concert hall.

“Over the summer we have been told that the number of hate crimes has exploded in Copenhagen – so a publicly-funded concert hall such as Pumpehuset should not allow a concert by a declared homophobic musician,” Rasmussen says.

Pumpehuset has already promised to stop Sizzla’s concert if he calls for homosexuals to be killed, but that is not enough, according to Rasmussen.

“I find it strange that Pumpehuset is prepared to have him on stage. It’s not a question of a certain song – but rather what he stands for,” says Rasmussen, adding that the concert should be cancelled.

Funding
He says that councillors saved the concert hall from closure in November 2008 with a special grant – and as a result Sizzla’s earnings will be coming out of public coffers.

“Copenhageners should not be subjected to such filth,” he says adding that the council would also call for a concert to be cancelled if it had been a nazi band or the suchlike.

Colleagues
Rasmussen says he plans to raise the issue with his party group, other colleagues at Town Hall as well as discussing the issue with Pumpehuset.

Should Pumpehuset not cancel the concert, Rasmussen says future grants should take that into account.