“Morocco is an Islamic state where stages should not used to allow a person with such a degree of debauchery to perform, because we have to shield the young from such influences.” “Sir Elton John Faces Down Islamic Protest to Play Morocco,” by Chris Mugan for Spinner, May 19:
Sir Elton John is to headline Morocco’s largest music festival, despite calls from Islamist political parties that the government should deny him entry.
Opposition politicians argue the ivory-tinkling performer would harm the image of the North African kingdom should he be allowed to perform at the Mawazine World Rhythms Festival in the country’s capital, Rabat.
Despite the outcry, Sir Elton will headline the festival — which begins on May 21 — and brings together musicians from 50 countries. This follows news earlier this month that the openly gay artist has been banned from Egypt over remarks about Jesus, as was previously reported in Spinner….
Mustapha Ramid, from the opposition Islamist PJD party said, “Morocco is an Islamic state where stages should not used to allow a person with such a degree of debauchery to perform, because we have to shield the young from such influences.”