Lady Gaga canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia after Islamists threatened violence, claiming her sexy outfits and provocative dance moves would corrupt the youth. The controversy was a blow to the country's claim of combining free speech and democracy with a mostly moderate brand of the faith. Some fans accused police, who refused to issue a permit over concerns about security, of buckling to the will of a small band of thugs.Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for Big Daddy, the promoter of the June 3 show, said, "It's unfortunate, but with threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga's side is calling it off. This is not only about Lady Gaga's security, but extends to those who will be watching her."
In recent years extremists have become more vocal and violent in Indonesia, attacking Christians and members of other religious minorities, transvestites, atheists and anyone else deemed "immoral." The most notorious group, Islamic Defenders Front, called Lady Gaga a "messenger of the devil" and vowed to show up at the airport by the thousands if she tried to step off the plane. Others said they bought tickets in order to wreak havoc from inside the stadium in Jakarta.
Officials responded by denying the necessary permits. After a public outcry, they said they'd reconsider if Lady Gaga agreed to tone down her performance. Instead, she canceled what was supposed to be the biggest stop on her Asian tour.
Fans were offered full refunds but that provided little consolation to people like 25-year-old Johnny Purba. He said, "This only shows to the world how weak security forces are in this country, how police are afraid of a bunch of hard-liners. Gaga's two-hour show will not hurt Indonesian Muslims. For God's sake, she is not a terrorist!"
On the other hand, Islamic hard-liners were ecstatic. Salim Alatas, one of the leaders of the Islamic Defenders Front (IDF), said, "This is a victory for Indonesian Muslims. Thanks to God for protecting us from a kind of devil."
Earlier, Murhali Barda, a spokesman for the IDF, said supporters had purchased more than 150 tickets to the concert. He had posted a picture on his Facebook page of a man wearing a turban and sunglasses and holding a $50 ticket to the concert. The caption read, "We have gotten Lady Gaga tickets. Not to watch but for us to enter." "Our target is to stop the concert. We would force them off the stage but not harm the audience."