Falun Gong link threatens Bowie concert
Rock star David Bowie's concert in Hong Kong next month is under threat because of his drummer's links to the Falun Gong movement, according to music industry insiders.
Bowie is touring Europe, the United States, Australia and Asia to promote his latest album, Reality, and had been persuaded by drummer Sterling Campbell to invite Friends of Falun Gong and Amnesty International to set up a joint promotional booth at his concerts.
Some of the shows have featured large banners reading 'China - Stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners' and 'Support the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, Chinese dictator, for genocide'.
Hong Kong authorities are keeping a close watch given the central government's sensitivity about the spiritual movement, which it banned as an 'evil' cult.
Hundreds of Falun Gong followers have been arrested and imprisoned since the group was outlawed by Beijing in 1999. The sect is still legally registered in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Immigration Department last night refused to comment. But a spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Association of Falun Gong said it was confident the March 14 show at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Entertainment Centre would go ahead.
'I have confidence the authorities in Hong Kong will still allow freedom of expression ... they know in the bottom of their hearts it is the right thing to do,' she said.
Foreign Falun Gong followers have frequently been denied entry to Hong Kong and the Bowie concert could be in jeopardy if Campbell is refused entry.
A Hong Kong spokesman for Bowie's record company, Sony, said it was awaiting the outcome.
'It might well be controversial,' said product manager William Yu. 'Everybody knows that Falun Gong is virtually non-existent in China and because Hong Kong is part of China that is part of the issue. We will have to wait and see.'
Colleen Ironside of concert promoter Live Ltd said she wanted to bring over world-class acts such as Bowie, who played in Hong Kong in 1983, to help put the city on the music map.
'Our relationship with David Bowie is about promoting his shows and assisting his production team to put on a great show,' she said.
'It is not appropriate for us to comment on any personal views of any member of the entourage.'
