Politician in Aarhus wants to ban British band for royal family comments

A Danish politician is demanding that the British band Idles be excluded from performing in Aarhus in the future following a controversial on-stage comment. During their performance at the Northside festival, lead singer Joe Talbot directed expletives at the Danish royal family.

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One should not come to Denmark and insult the royal family and our values. I have no opinion on what they think about the royal family in their own country. But when you come to Denmark, you must respect the country you are playing in.

Bünyamin Simsek, a city council member, told the local newspaper Århus Stiftstidende that the festival should distance itself from Talbot's remarks. "One should not come to Denmark and insult the royal family and our values," Simsek stated. "I have no opinion on what they think about the royal family in their own country. But when you come to Denmark, you must respect the country you are playing in."

Talbot's anti-royal sentiment is reportedly a regular feature of Idles' concerts. During the Aarhus performance, he allegedly said, "You also have a royal family. Fuck the Danish royal family." Simsek believes this warrants a ban from future events in the city.

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You also have a royal family. Fuck the Danish royal family.

Northside festival organizers, however, defended their decision to book the band. In a statement to Ritzau, they explained that artists are selected based on "musical quality and relevance – not their political opinions." The festival views itself as an important platform for engagement, participation, cultural expression, and freedom of speech. They emphasized that the singer's statement was his personal viewpoint and did not reflect the festival's stance.

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We see festivals as important arenas for engagement, participation, cultural expression, and freedom of speech. The statement represents the artist's point of view and not Northside's.