Madonna urges world to stand up against anti-gay Putin
By Nick Levine
Madonna has urged the world to “stand up against” Russian President Vladimir Putin during a speech at an Amnesty International concert in New York.
Introducing two members of freed Russian punk band Pussy Riot at AI’s ‘Bringing Human Rights Home’ concert last night (February 5), the singer recalled taking her 2012 ‘MDNA Tour’ to Moscow the day the activist band went on trial for performing their song Punk Prayer in a cathedral in the Russian capital.
“This song criticised Vladimir Putin’s regime and its blatant intolerance of gay rights, artistic freedom, freedom of speech and human rights in general,” Madonna, pictured right with two members of Pussy Riot, told the audience. “I was shocked and outraged when I heard about this and I spoke about it the next night on stage at my show. For this I received several death threats. And suddenly my security guards tripled in number.
“From there we went to St. Petersburg where another atrocity was taking place. My show was being advertised and damned for being a ‘gay show’ and for promoting homosexuality. Which I have been known to do,” Madonna continued.
“Anyway, all the people performing in the show including myself were threatened and told we’d be arrested if we were seen encouraging this ‘gay behaviour’ in my show. Needless to say I did not change a second of my show. And I was not arrested. Unfortunately I was sued for a million dollars and 87 members of my audience were arrested for openly displaying more ‘gay behavior’. Whatever that means. Boo.”
Continuing her speech, Madonna concluded: “What I realised when I went to Russia, and saw what was going on with Pussy Riot, and what was going on with the gay community, was how lucky I was and am to live in a country where I can speak my mind.”
She then urged the audience: “It’s time for the rest of the world to be as brave as Pussy Riot, to stand up against people like President Putin that do not respect human rights, and perpetuate oppression, discrimination, and injustice of any kind. We all have a moral obligation to stand up for anyone who’s being persecuted, whether it’s down the street from us, or on the other side of the world.”
Watch Madonna’s full speech introducing Pussy Riot at the Amnesty International concert below:
[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lectQlk-DrQ[/youtube]