China prepares clampdown after Bjork's Tibet outburst
Bjork in trouble over Tibet outburst
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Sunday, 09, Mar 2008 12:42
The music world is pondering the consequences of Bjork's outburst against China last week.
During a gig in Shanghai last week the Icelandic singer shouted "Tibet" at the crowd at the end of what the Xinhua news agency said was an "unapproved song", Declare Independence.
It quoted the Chinese ministry of culture condemning the protest, saying the "political show has not only broken Chinese laws and regulations and hurt the feeling of Chinese people, but also went against the professional code of an artist".
Future artists coming to perform in China will face greater regulation and more scrutiny if they want to play in the communist country.
Bjork has a past history of opposing China's occupation of Tibet, which it claims has been a part of China since ancient times.
She performed in the 1996 Free Tibet concert in San Francisco and, following her recent outburst, is now facing a lifetime ban on further concerts in China.
Bjork insisted "I am not a politician" in a statement on her website.
"This song was written more with the personal in mind but the fact that it has translated to its broadest meaning, the struggle of a suppressed nation, gives me much pleasure," she said.
"I would like to wish all individuals and nations good luck in their battle for independence."