The organizing company of a music festival in Malaysia is demanding that the British band The 1975 pay 12.3 million ringgit ($2.7 million) for losses after the protest on stage by their lead vocalist against the country’s anti-homosexuality laws led local authorities to cancel the festival, said the company’s lawyer on Friday.
Future Sound Asia (FSA) sent a letter to the band on Monday demanding compensation for breach of contract, according to the company’s lawyer, David Dinesh Mathew.
During a concert on July 21st, Matty Healy delivered a profanity-laden speech criticizing the Malaysian government’s stance on homosexuality, before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald during the opening performance of the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur. Footage of the performance was shared on social media and sparked a strong reaction in the predominantly Muslim country.
In Malaysia, homosexuality is a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison and caning.
The government criticized Healy’s behavior, blacklisted the band from the country, and canceled the three-day festival. Some members of the LGBTQ+ community took to social media to criticize the band, stating that Healy had undermined the work of activists advocating for change and had also jeopardized the community.
In the letter, Mathew stated that the band had committed in writing before the show to adhere to all local guidelines and regulations. Instead, Healy’s “use of offensive language, damage to equipment, and indecent behavior on stage” caused financial losses to FSA.
“Unfortunately, the clause was disregarded,” Mathew said in a written statement to The Associated Press on Friday. “Their actions have had repercussions on local artists and small businesses, who depended on the festival for creative opportunities and their livelihood.”
As such, FSA demands that The 1975 acknowledge their responsibility and pay 12.3 million ringgit in compensation for the damages suffered.
On their website, FSA stated that they are processing all refund requests.
FSA’s lawyer will take legal action in British courts if the band does not respond by Monday, one week after the legal claim letter was sent.
The band canceled their performances in Taiwan and Jakarta, Indonesia, following the scandal in the Malaysian capital. This is not Healy’s first provocative display on stage in support of LGBTQ+ rights: in 2019, he kissed a male fan during a concert in the United Arab Emirates, where homosexuality is prohibited.
TYT Newsroom