Mashrou’ Leila Under Attack To Cancel Upcoming Jbeil Concert
Lebanese indie-rock band Mashrou’ Leila has recently been under attack after various religious groups called for the cancelation of the band’s upcoming performance at the Byblos International Festival, set to take place on August 9 in celebration of their 10-year anniversary.
The boycotting and cancelation campaign was initiated by a Facebook group by the name of “جُنود الرَّب” (God’s soldiers), which has accused Mashrou’ Leila of being offensive to religion and religious symbols, and for allegedly promoting homosexuality. The page has recently launched a full-fledged attack on the band, posting homophobic statuses and photos inciting hatred and encouraging everyone to boycott the band and what they call “queerness”.
The campaign was even picked up by local authorities, with the Diocese of Jbeil releasing an open letter to condemn Mashrou’ Leila’s upcoming performance and asking for a ban.
Neither the band nor the festival have released an official statement, however, lead singer Hamed Sinno did respond to the allegations via a Facebook post.
Mashrou’ Leila, who released their first album in 2009, have garnered worldwide recognition for their immense talent conveyed through symbolic lyrics that are reflective of cultural issues ranging from love, war, politics, security, materialism, and sexuality. Their lead singer, Hamed Sinno, was one of the first Lebanese public figures to identify with the LGBTQI community, which has subjected the band to backlash and disgusting acts of homophobia.
