German hosts criticize ZDF for canceling Danger Dan performance

The German public broadcaster ZDF has drawn criticism from the hosts of its political satire show 'Die Anstalt' for canceling a planned performance by musician Danger Dan and a subsequent discussion. Hosts Claus von Wagner and Max Uthoff expressed being 'speechless,' 'angry,' and 'incredulous' over the last-minute decision. ZDF's management intervened to prevent the broadcast of Danger Dan's new song, 'Keine Angst,' which addresses resistance against right-wing extremism. The network stated that the song's lyrics could be interpreted as a call to violence. Von Wagner argued that the ZDF had ample time to review the lyrics and that the intention was to explore the boundaries of artistic freedom and the song's potentially controversial lines. He emphasized that the performance was meant to initiate a discussion, especially given the rise in right-wing extremist violence. The 'Anstalt' team publicly distanced themselves from ZDF's decision, calling it 'cowardly.' Danger Dan himself refuted the claim that his song incites violence, explaining it as an answer to the question of how to build effective anti-fascist structures. He stated, 'I am not calling on anyone to go into the criminal underground.' The ZDF, however, maintained its position, asserting that the song's text could be understood as an incitement to violence.

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We are speechless, angry, and incredulous.