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Jamaica's Buju Banton
Encourages Burning & Shooting Gays

Recants 'Apology' But Takes Part in Peace and Love Festival

Activists Preparing to Monitor Reggae Star on Two Continents

By David Allison

London, England�Sunday evening's Festival of Peace and Love celebrating Jamaican culture and backed by the BBC's local radio station London Live included a set by Buju Banton, the reggae star.

Banton remains notorious for, in 1992, writing and performing 'Boom Bye Bye' in which he encourages the shooting of gays. Subsequently he's said that gays should be treated like discarded tires and burned.

Buju Banton

The furor that arose in both the United Kingdom and in the USA forced him to apologize on the Channel 4 program The Word on 4 December 1992, but not before massive cancellations of TV and other appearances on both sides of the Atlantic hit hard.

An interview published on 29 May 2000 in New Nation, a newspaper serving members of the black community, included a reiteration by Banton of his homophobic views and a denial that he had ever recanted or changed those views.

As a consequence of the intervention of OutRage!,of Black Gays and Lesbians Against Media Homophobia , of Eurogay internet magazine www.eurogay.co.uk , and of activists approaching Jenny Abramsky (Director, BBC Radio) the Editor of London Live immediately stopped promotion of the festival on his station and obtained assurances from the Festival's PR people that 'Bang Bye Bye' would not be part of Banton's set.

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Banton's own press relations people, however, were not so forthcoming and give rise to concern that he may be planning to use the his mantra of hate at other venues, in the UK or elsewhere

OutRage! and Black Gays and Lesbians Against Media Homophobia are working with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Action Against Defamation) in the USA where Banton is planning a tour to promote his recent album 'Unchained Spirit' .

Footage from The Word program reportedly exposing Banton as a liar and a hypocrite will shortly be featured on the OutRage! website www.outrage.org.uk

Said British activists: "If Banton (and others) thinks that the Queer Musketeers have gone away, he is so wrong!"