Marina and Anitta are among the many artists who have called out the Brazilian government after an attempt was made to outlaw “political demonstrations” at the country’s Lollapalooza Festival.
The move came about after a number of musicians criticised the controversial Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro while on stage at the festival, which took place in São Paulo last weekend (March 25-27).
Marina told the crowd during her set on Friday (March 25): “We need to stick together. I’m just sick of a certain kind of energy. Fuck Putin. Fuck Bolsonaro. Fuck him! We are sick of this energy, we are sick of it. And you are the new generation, and things are going to change.”
As The Guardian reports, singer Pabllo Vittar chanted “Get out Bolsonaro!” during her set and displayed a towel featuring an image of the leftist former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is widely tipped to defeat Bolsonaro in October’s presidential election.
Rapper Emicida also urged Brazilian teenagers to register to vote, before shouting “Ei Bolsonaro, vai tomar no cu” (which politely translates as “Bolsonaro get stuffed”) during his performance.
Censorship is still alive and well.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers have petitioned to the Supreme Electoral Court to stop artists from making “political demonstrations”, due to me and 2 other artists voicing opinions at Lolla. pic.twitter.com/irxRyX9joB— M A R I N A (@MarinaDiamandis) March 29, 2022
Lawyers representing Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party subsequently issued a legal challenge in Brazil’s supreme electoral court on Saturday (March 26), claiming that the actions of Marina and Vittar amounted to “premature campaigning”.
Electoral justice Raul Araújo agreed in his ruling that such behaviour constituted “political-electoral propaganda”, and ordered the ban of “political demonstrations” and “ostentatious and extemporaneous” statements at Lollapalooza. An £8000 fine for any artist who defied the ban was also recommended.
However, The Brazilian Report now reports that the ban has ultimately failed to pass into law “due to filing errors”. A new bill has now been introduced in a bid to “clarify the electoral code” so that artists can express their views on political candidates without falling foul of campaigning laws.
Writing on Twitter last night (March 29), Marina said: “Censorship is still alive and well.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers have petitioned to the Supreme Electoral Court to stop artists from making ‘political demonstrations’, due to me and two other artists voicing opinions at Lolla.
So many of us are sick of these old men who think they own the countries they “lead”
They don’t own anything. And they are weaker than we think. When people feel they have no power they try to take it away from others.
— M A R I N A (@MarinaDiamandis) March 29, 2022
“So many of us are sick of these old men who think they own the countries they ‘lead’. They don’t own anything. And they are weaker than we think. When people feel they have no power they try to take it away from others.”
Brazilian artist Anitta scoffed at the proposed fine, writing: “50 thousand [reais fine]? Darn … one less bag. [Get] OUT BOLSONAROOOOO. Does this law apply abroad? Because my festivals are only international.”
Henrique Vieira, who performed with Emicida at last weekend’s Lollapalooza, said that the proposed ban “is authoritarianism. This is fear … we will not and we must not remain silent”. Singer-songwriter Zélia Duncan added: “No one silences the voice of the people.”
Coragem amorosa para defender a Democracia! Vamos multiplicar nossa voz para derrotar o autoritarismo de Bolsonaro. Convido você a colocar aqui nos comentários o seu grito por liberdade. Bolsonaro quer nosso silêncio e nós responderemos com nossa coragem! pic.twitter.com/9KatWSGjLW
— Pastor Henrique Vieira (@pastorhenriquev) March 27, 2022
Lollapalooza Brazil have yet to comment on the matter.
Elsewhere at Lollapalooza Brazil, Miley Cyrus dedicated her set at the festival to the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The post Marina, Anitta and more slam Brazilian government following “political demonstrations” ban on Lollapalooza appeared first on NME.
