The Oakland Metro Operahouse were forced to cancel Marduk’s weekend show as police believed there would be a “threat to public safety” as it would draw anti-fascist protestors.
Loudwire report that the band were last week targeted by the Anti-Fascist Action Bay Area, who, in a Facebook post that has now been taken down, called them a “black metal band with known white supremacist ties from Sweden that profits off of glorifying Nazi imagery and songs about Nazi SS officers and anti-semitism.”
But after researching Marduk, the venue found no indications that they were “white supremacists, nationalists, or anti-immigrant” and wanted the gig to go ahead. However, after staff were reportedly threatened, and in consultation with police, it was decided the show would be scrapped.
In a Facebook post since deleted, the venue say: “In the last week we have read interview after interview with Marduk spanning over the last 20 years and found no statements indicating the band are white supremacists, nationalists, or anti-immigrant.
“That being said, we don’t want to subject our security staff, venue staff or the public to violence. Our staff is almost exclusively POC and/or LBGTQ and they have all expressed the desire to work, but as we are getting threats, we just can’t risk it.
“So, in the interest of safety, and because the Oakland Police Department would have insisted anyway, we have canceled the Marduk performance.”
The statement continues: “The Oakland Police Department has decided in the interest of public safety that the Marduk show on Saturday, February 18, at the Oakland Metro Operahouse be cancelled. Refunds at point of purchase. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
Marduk are due to play the last date of their US tour tonight (February 20) in Seattle. They’ll then head to Australia before a run of shows across Europe.
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Marduk 2017 tour dates
Feb 20: Seattle Studio Seven, WA
Feb 24: Bergen Blastfest, Norway
Mar 15: Fortitude Valley Crowbar , Australia
Mar 17: Marrickville The Factory Theatre, Australia
Mar 18: Melbourne Corner Hotel, Australia
Apr 01: Glasgow Barrowlands, UK
Apr 16: Munich Dark Easter Metal Meeting, Germany
May 04: Karmoy Karmoygeddon Metal Festival, Norway
May 20: Hyvinkaa SteelFest, Finland
Jun 03: Kuurne Throne Fest, Belgium
Jun 17: Clisson Hellfest Open Air, France
Jul 06: Torgau In Flammen Open Air, Germany
Jul 29: Steenwijk Stonehenge Festival, Netherlands
Aug 11: Holzsubra Party San Open Air, Germany
