Play shut down in Birmingham

[Latic]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/w...ds/4112105.stm

Complete disgrace.


We will fight terrorism in other countries but wont do anything about it in our country.

Also how can a protest be peaceful if there was violence. I cant believe the complete onesided slant this country has.

If you dont like something from now on, protest smash up some property and it'll stop.

........................



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Theatre ends play in Sikh protest

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Three police officers were hurt in struggles at the theatre

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->A play which led to violent protests among the Sikh community in Birmingham has had its run cancelled by the city's Repertory Theatre.

The theatre said it had refused to censor the work and was abandoning it purely on health and safety grounds.

Three police officers were hurt during clashes after 400 demonstrators gathered outside on Saturday.

Protesters said Behzti, which depicts sex abuse and murder in a temple, portrayed the Sikh faith negatively.

The theatre said the "ugly" violence had caused free speech to be curbed.

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It remains a matter of great concern to us that illegal acts of violence can cause the cancellation of a lawful artistic work


Stuart Rogers
Executive director of the Rep



<!-- S ILIN -->Head to head: Sikh protest
<!-- E ILIN --><!-- S ILIN -->A 'provocative' writer
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->Stuart Rogers, the executive director of the Rep, told a press conference that the decision had been taken after discussions with police and Sikh community leaders on Monday morning.

Mr Rogers said: "The theatre vigorously defends its right to produce Behzti and other similar high-quality plays that deal with contemporary issues in a multicultural society.

"We sincerely hope that the play will be produced again as we are certain that it is a work that should be seen and discussed.

"It remains a matter of great concern to us that illegal acts of violence can cause the cancellation of a lawful artistic work."

A spokesman for the Sikh community in Birmingham, Councillor Chaman Lal, predicted there would have been larger protests had the play's run continued.

He said: "The theatre has made the right decision in response to a peaceful protest.

"There are no winners or losers - common sense has prevailed."

Decision 'unacceptable'

Mohan Singh, from the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in south Birmingham, also welcomed the decision, but said it had come a week too late.

"Free speech can go so far. Maybe 5,000 people would have seen this play over the run," he said.

"Are you going to upset 600,000 thousands Sikhs in Britain and maybe 20 million outside the UK for that?"

But Ursula Owen, editor-in-chief of pro-free speech group Index on Censorship, said: "This decision is absolutely unacceptable. I am shocked."



<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg>HAVE YOUR SAY
Religious censorship is always wrong


David Patrick, Reading, UK



<!-- S ILIN -->Send us your comments
<!-- E ILIN -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->Earlier, the theatre said short of "blatant censorship" and cancelling the production, it could not have done more to appease the Sikh community.

Behzti, which translates as "dishonour", was written by a young female Sikh, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatt, and was said to have been inoffensive to many younger Sikhs.

However, religious leaders, including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, had urged a boycott of the play.

Three people were arrested in connection with Saturday's demonstration. The theatre said some protesters managed to get backstage, where they smashed equipment and destroyed a foyer door. Mr Rogers added that the Rep's other production, The Witches, would be staged as usual. <!-- E BO -->


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[Mule]

Can you cut/paste the story in?

I dont quite get what you're getting at, what do you think should be done? or should have been done? Do you think the play should have continued?

[CzarJunkie]

Just seen this on the news, it is a fukin disgrace. How could both the theatre and the Police let this happen.

Those sikh's involved in the protest should be ashamed by whats happened, they live in a country where freedom of speech is a given, something that my grandparents and parents fought for, not some fukin backward region or country where race and religion takes prescident over everything.

I am normally as tolerant as the next man but this is unacceptable and unforgivable and the sikh community is playing with fire......... :annoyed: :annoyed: :annoyed:

[CzarJunkie]

Here's a link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/w...ds/4112105.stm

Fukin disgusting............... :grr:

[WalterPill]

Shortsighted to the extreme. Generally thus far the sikh community has evaded the slings and arrows aimed at the muslims in our midst but this nonsense just serves to polarize another segment of our society. This shite just plays into the hands of right wingers.

I heard some high profile sikh community leaders this morning talking about how censorship was a stablemate of fascism but they obviously haven't brought their influence to bear on the situation.

What are the police fuking doing as well? Muppets.

[maltloaf]

i was pleased when i heard the theatre were going to keep it going but disgusted when i heard they had bowed to the pressure. All it means is whenever something happens they dont like, they'll do it again... not the way to get things done in this country. Next thing there will be a bloody riot.

Anyway, another brum theatre has offered to take it on.

malty

[stevo25]

totally agree with the above comments lets not forget this play was written WRITTEN by a sikh

[wiggi28]

bbc 2 newsnight now :nowords:

[flexylexy]

if it was white guys there they would all be took to court.whats new.
900 guys damage done only 2 locked up.
oh well.

[CzarJunkie]

if it was white guys there they would all be took to court.whats new.
900 guys damage done only 2 locked up.
oh well.

Lets not turn this into a discussion about race m8 please, it is a basic freedom we all enjoy that is at stake here, not matter what your race. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right for every human and we should defend that right no matter what.

[ABCMan]

i'm disgusted by this too although the actual play would have been no interest to me, all the trouble has caused plenty of publicity and i would imagine that someone else will produce a version of this play.

the theater group in question has come in for a lot of criticism for closing the play down and i'm sure in the short term it will affect their revenue as regulars boycott it (as was said by several people interviewed outside the theatre this morning).

basicly what we have here is another satanic verses problem allbeit on a smaller scale, we can not and should not bow to any of these groups attempting to curb further the limited freedom of speech that we already have.

[xdir]

Right action taken by the Theatre for the wrong reason, The play is said to have scenes of Rape and Murder in a Temple environment albiet set in a black comedy. I agree and believe that freedom of speech is important, if not critical to living in a free society but this should not be used to offend people.
If we as a society force people like Boris Johnson to grovel and apologise for the liverpool comments, then why should we allow peoples faith to be offended, most people of faith hold it more dearly then all other aspects of thier lives.
This of course is not limited to any one religion but should cover all from Christianity to Devil worship.

[diablos]

well thats me not going to watch that then, was looking forward to saying watch out sunita he's behind you..

[Morph]

If you dont like it or think its offensive, dont go to see it, that simple

Anyone (regardless of race/creed/colour/religion/sex etc etc) should have the right to do a play on whatever they want, if they dont get bums on seats thats their prob but you HAVE to let people have their opinion (right or wrong) regardless what it is.

Would never happen in the US though (not sure if thats good or bad)??

Whats this country coming to when violence starts "swaying" the government? what next.....

[CzarJunkie]

If we as a society force people like Boris Johnson to grovel and apologise for the liverpool comments, then why should we allow peoples faith to be offended, most people of faith hold it more dearly then all other aspects of thier lives.
This of course is not limited to any one religion but should cover all from Christianity to Devil worship.

Err, thats hardly the same, for one thing, the Tory party, specifically Michael Howard requested that Boris Johnson apologised, as I remeber it there was no national outcry, in factm if anything the Tories overreacted. Also, the person who wrote the play was a sikh herself, so again, hardly the same.

There has been numerous plays, TV programmes etc that have offended christians in this country, recently The Passion of The Christ offended Jews, but I have never seen sections of either religions throwing bricks through theatre's windows or rioting.

The core issue is the freedom of speech and that basic right has been eroded by the actions last weekend.

[Snotty]

This country is a fcuking disgrace. A complete embarassment.

We are now seeing schools in Yorkshire and other parts of the UK having to scrap Christmas activities because it upsets the muslim community

I dread the day when street names such as 'Church Street' and 'Chapel Lane' get wiped out and renamed in ethnic communities because it offends their religion

Sort it out Blair ffs :annoyed:

[firstpirate]

TBH britain is britain no more

Can u imagine the outcry if we stormed one of their plays demanding it to be stopped because there was something in it we did`nt like.It would of been classed as a racist attack on their people.
I watched this on the news and was disgusted with it like the majorty of many others - just who the hell do they think they are - maybe they want to remember who`s countrie this really is (and when they do maybe they can tell us cause i aint sure of it no more)

[pheonixsingh]

me being a sikh, i am personally disgusted by the play and it was meant to be a peaceful demonstration it just took a few nutters to turn it into a riot, but the play i believe shouldnt be shown as it shows absolute disgusting acts shown in a holy place of worship, even though the play write calls herself a 'sikh' she definatley isnt. And to do with freedom of speech, yes i do understand we have freedom of speech but i wouldnt exactly be able to make a play that would mock jesus, that would be criminal offence (obviously i dont mock him in real life), I know its a Christian country, but i know anyone wouldnt want what they belive and practise to be mocked.

[4me2]

me being a sikh, i am personally disgusted by the play and it was meant to be a peaceful demonstration it just took a few nutters to turn it into a riot, but the play i believe shouldnt be shown as it shows absolute disgusting acts shown in a holy place of worship, even though the play write calls herself a 'sikh' she definatley isnt. And to do with freedom of speech, yes i do understand we have freedom of speech but i wouldnt exactly be able to make a play that would mock jesus, that would be criminal offence (obviously i dont mock him in real life), I know its a Christian country, but i know anyone wouldnt want what they belive and practise to be mocked.

Why not ? Thats what christianity did to the jews in The Passion of the Christ .

[pheonixsingh]

blasphemy against Christianity, is a criminal offence in the UK