In this file photo, Drummer Dominic Howard and Matt Bellamy (R) of British rock band Muse perform in concert during the IndyCar Classic at Circuit of the Americas on March 23, 2019 in Austin, Texas. / AFP / SUZANNE CORDEIRO
British rock band Muse said Wednesday that it had cancelled a coming gig in İstanbul, after a backlash from fans at the concert promoter who criticized recent anti-government protests.
The band posted on X that it had taken the decision to shelve the June 11 concert “after careful consideration” and would reschedule for 2026 without the promoter’s involvement.
On social media the post was liked more than 70,000 times in less than an hour.
Muse had come under pressure from fans to cancel the gig in support of protesters who have taken to the streets against the March 19 arrest of İstanbul’s popular mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
The concert promotor, DBL Entertainment, pulled out of the event in response. Muse said the company “will not be involved” in its rescheduled performance.
Turkey’s opposition has called for the boycott of dozens of companies whose leaders are seen as being close to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Nearly 2,000 people, including several hundred students and young people, have been detained since the start of the protests.
DBL Entertainment chief Abdülkadir Özkan has maintained he was quoted out of context when he criticized the throwing of missiles at a cafe chain franchise during a largely peaceful protest on Saturday.
On Tuesday he pulled out of all music projects after he faced criticism from Turkish artists, and calls mounted for the Muse gig to be shelved.
İmamoğlu is seen as Erdoğan’s main political rival and was chosen as the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
His detention and subsequent incarceration for corruption sparked a wave of protests not seen in Turkey in a decade.
Some cafes, shops and restaurants in İstanbul and Ankara heeded a CHP call to remain closed on Wednesday.
© Agence France-Presse