U.K. concerts by Sizzla canceled over lyrics calling for antigay violence

The U.K. gay activist organization OutRage! announced Wednesday that three of five concerts by Sizzla have been canceled following protests by the group over the singer's homophobic lyrics. Sizzla (Miguel Orlando Collins) told an audience at a 1998 reggae festival in Jamaica to "burn all white people"; in a 2002 Chicago concert he told his audience that he personally kills gays: "I kill sodomites and queers; they bring AIDS and disease upon people...shoot and kill them." His latest album, Red Alert, contains the lyrics "Queers must be killed" and "Shoot queers." The cancellations came after OutRage! complained to police, because inciting murder is considered a criminal offense in the United Kingdom. "Sizzla Kalonji does not merely express his disapproval of homosexuality," said Brett Lock of OutRage! and the Stop Murder Music campaign in a statement. "He calls for all homosexuals to be killed and incited his listeners to murder gays and lesbians. This goes way beyond an acceptable expression of opinion. Lesbian and gay people have a right to live their lives free from threats to kill them." Peter Tatchell of OutRage! expressed hope that the remaining two U.K. concerts would also be canceled.