French Catholic fundamentalists managed to prevent Anna Von Hausswolff playing a show in Nantes last night (December 7th).
The musician is on tour across Europe, and frequently performs in church venues – indeed, she played London's Union Chapel back in September.
Currently travelling across France, Anna Von Hausswolff was due to play at a church in Nantes last night (December 7th) but the event was halted by a protest.
As Le Monde reports – as spotted by BestFit – the post-metal composer could not enter the venue due to protests from French Catholic fundamentalists outside.
The group called the composer's work "satanist", with the first deputy mayor of Nantes then tweeting:
"A handful of intolerant radicals causes the cancellation of a concert in ND du Bon-Port scheduled in agreement with the bishopric. Nothing authorized the expression of such censorship. This is not our conception of a social project based on dialogue and cultural openness."
Une poignée de radicaux intolérants provoque l’annulation d’un concert à N-D du Bon-Port programmé en accord avec l’évêché. Rien n’autorisait l’expression d’une telle censure. Ce n’est pas notre conception d’un projet de société fondé sur le dialogue et l’ouverture culturelle.
— Bassem ASSEH (@3asseh) December 7, 2021
In turn, Ouest-France shared a video of the demonstrators outside the venue, shouting: "Saint Mary mother of God, pray for us poor sinners."
Des manifestants catholiques ont empêché le concert d’Anna von Hausswolff, spécialiste de l'orgue, à l'église Notre-Dame de Bon Port, organisé par le Lieu unique à #nantes ce mardi soir pic.twitter.com/ySl2kN8R7l
— Ouest-France 44 (@OuestFrance44) December 7, 2021
Eli Commins organised the concert, telling Ouest-France: "It has already performed in about forty churches or cathedrals and there has never been a problem. There is no religious inspiration, no violence! It just plays the organ, and the organs are found in churches. It's post-metal influenced music. There weren't even any lyrics in the planned performance."
Anna von Hausswolff has yet to comment.
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