Tibet Shoutout Spurs Crackdown

Cry supporting independence prompts threat of censorship

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 7, 2008 4:45 PM CST

Copied

Tibet Shoutout Spurs Crackdown — Pop singer Bjork, of Iceland, performs at her solo concert in Shanghai Sunday, March 2, 2008. Icelandic singer Bjork has ignited criticism from Chinese fans after she declared "Tibet! Tibet!" to end a passionate performance of her song "Declare Independence" during a concert in China. The outburst,... (Associated Press)

Beijing says it will toughen restrictions on visiting artists performing in China in response to Bjork's onstage expression of support for Tibetan independence, the London Times reports. “We shall never tolerate any attempt to separate Tibet from China and will no longer welcome any artists who deliberately do this,” said a Culture Ministry statement.

The Icelandic fashion icon ended the song “Declare Independence” with a shout of “Tibet, Tibet” during her concert Sunday in Shanghai. Chinese fans expressed their anger on internet message boards: “Isn’t Tibet ours? Mind your own business,” said one posting. “I like Bjork,” said another. "But for her to do this is disrespectful to fans here." (More Bjork stories.)

Report an error