Eagles Of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes was denied entry to last night’s reopening of the Bataclan in Paris.
Hughes and an unnamed bandmate turned up at the venue as Sting was set to play the first gig there since last year’s terror attacks which saw 90 people murdered by extremist gunmen.
The Eagles Of Death Metal were playing at the venue on November 13 last year when the gunmen burst in and opened fire and also detonated suicide bombs as part of a wider assault that left 130 dead across Paris.
Hughes caused uproar when he suggested staff at the Bataclan must have been involved in the attacks. He apologised and blamed his remarks on trauma, but repeated the claims in a later interview.
His comments led to French music festivals Rock en Seine and Cabaret Vert pulling Eagles Of Death Metal from their events.
Bataclan co-director Jules Frutos tells AFP: “They came, I threw them out – there are things you can’t forgive.
“He makes these incredibly false declarations every two months. It is madness, accusing our security of being complicit with the terrorists. Enough. Zero. This has to stop.”
Hughes has not yet commented on being denied entry to the show.
- Jesse Hughes: My escape from Paris gunman
- Bataclan survivor brands Jesse Hughes a ‘spreader of fear’
- Benefit show to be held in memory of Bataclan merch man
- Ex-girlfriend of Bataclan victim describes moment he died in her arms
All revenue from Sting’s performance will be donated to the charities Life For Paris and 13 November: Fraternite Verite.
This month it was announced that an HBO documentary on the Bataclan will be released in February of next year. Eagles Of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends) is directed by Colin Hanks and will chronicle the events before and after the massacre.
UPDATE: Eagles Of Death Metal’s manager has issued a statement saying that while Hughes was in Paris at the weekend, he did not attempt to gain entry to the Bataclan on Saturday.
