Call to stop 'Nazi' rock gig
December 9, 2007
JEWISH groups have asked the Government to prevent a Croatian band accused of glorifying Hitler from entering Australia for a national tour.
The controversial rock group Thompson, which has already been banned from entering the Netherlands because of its anti-Semitic lyrics, is booked to perform at Festival Hall this month before playing in Sydney on New Year's Eve, Adelaide and Perth.
The band's lead singer and songwriter, Marko Perkovic, has been criticised for using anti-Semitic lyrics, including the catchcry of the nationalist Croatian party Ustashi, whose collaboration with the Nazis resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Jews, Serbs and Gypsies. Thompson's performances frequently attract Ustashi and Nazi supporters, who are allegedly encouraged in the glorification of Hitler with shouts of "Heil Hitler" and the Nazi salute.
The B'Nai B'Rith Anti-Defamation Commission, a Jewish human rights organisation, has asked the Federal Government to ban the group.
The Melbourne leg of Thompson's tour is being sponsored by the Australian Croatian Association, based in Geelong, which could not be contacted despite several attempts by The Sunday Age. The gig follows a rock concert organised by neo-Nazi music promotion group Blood and Honour, which was held at the Croatia Social Club in mid-October.
Manny Waks from the Anti-Defamation Commission said the commission was "disturbed" by the Blood and Honour concert in October, and was disappointed that the Croatian community had now invited Thompson to perform.
"We deplore the Croatian community for associating themselves once again with a racist individual by hosting this event," he said.
But not everyone is against the group. Catherine Lukic, who works at the Australian Croatian Association's club, said she worked with the band when they played there several years ago. Ms Lukic describes Thompson as excellent entertainers who are extremely popular with both the young and old.
"I am nearly 60 years old and I enjoy them," she said. Ms Lukic was surprised to hear that Thompson had been criticised for anti-semitic lyrics.
"I never heard them say (nationalist catchcry) 'Za dom-Spremni' when they were here," she said.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/call-to-stop-nazi-rock-gig/2007/12/08/1196813083775.html
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