Malaysia's Good Vibes festival has sued The 1975 and is seeking $2.4 million in damages, a year after frontman Matthew Healy kissed bandmate Ross MacDonald on stage in protest of the country's homophobic laws, Variety reports.
These damages, which are slightly less than the $2.6 million originally sought last year, relate to the Malaysian government's subsequent decision to cancel the festival entirely. Healy commented on the incident at a concert in Texas last October, alluding to his "brief imprisonment" in Malaysia.
"If you really believe that artists have a responsibility to use their platforms to support liberal values, then those artists should be judged by the dangers and embarrassments they face for doing so, not the rewards they receive for echoing mainstream views," he said. a musician.
Organizers of the Future Sound Asia festival have reportedly filed a lawsuit in the UK High Court, claiming the band willfully broke the country's laws despite numerous reminders. Among these rules are bans on swearing, smoking and drinking alcohol on stage, removing clothes and talking about politics or religion, reports Variety. Other guidelines specifically prohibited kissing. The lawsuit reportedly states that the band considered the option of not performing, but instead decided to protest the rules by performing a completely different set list and deliberately breaking the guidelines, including Healy's "provocative speech" and a "long fake passionate hug" with MacDonald.
During the performance, Hili condemned Malaysia's state policy, which punishes homosexuality with up to 20 years in prison.
“If you want to invite me here to give a concert, you can get dressed. I'll take your money, you can ban me, but I've done this before and I don't feel good, and I've had enough," the musician said from the stage at the time. Kuala Lumpur. See you later". The band canceled concerts in Jakarta and Taipei right after the festival.
Future Sound Asia filed a claim for damages last year through legal firm Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership, which cited a contract in which the band undertook to comply with all local guidelines and regulations. "Their actions had consequences for local Malaysian artists and small businesses, who relied on the festival for creative opportunities and as a source of income," they said at the time.
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