The festival organisers have filed a suit, citing that the band’s infamous same-sex kiss led the festival to be forced to shut down last summer.
British rock band The 1975 have been sued for $2.4 million (€2.2 million) by Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia over frontman Matty Healy’s protest against the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws last July.
The festival organisers have filed a suit – which names each band member individually – citing that the band’s actions led the festival to be forced to shut down.
The 1975’s performance in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 21 July was cut short after Matty Healy criticized the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws onstage and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald.
After kissing MacDonald, Healy told the crowd it was “fucking ridiculous to tell people what they can do with that and that,” gesturing to his groin.
“I am sorry if that offends you and you’re religious and it’s part of your fucking government, but your government are a bunch of fucking retards and I don’t care anymore. If you push, I am going to push back. I am not in the fucking mood, I’m not in the fucking mood.”
Following the kiss, the band were banned from performing in the country.
In court documents filed in the UK High Court and seen by Variety, festival organizers Future Sound Asia claim that The 1975 deliberately went against the festival’s restrictions that were given to them ahead of their performance.
The restrictions included swearing, smoking and drinking on stage, taking off clothes, and talking about politics or religion.
The suit goes on to claim that the band decided the night before the festival that they would not perform, then changed their mind and went ahead with “a completely different setlist” while acting “in way that were intended to breach the Guidelines”.
The organisers also claimed that the band were made aware of specific rules issued by the Malaysia Central Agency for the Application for Foreign Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL) which prohibited “kissing, kissing a member of the audience or carrying out such actions among themselves.”
Future Sound Asia had previously demanded the band pay RM12.3 million (approx. €2.3 million) after Healy‘s “indecent behaviour” caused the cancellation of the festival.
The Malaysian LGBTQ+ community has also condemned Healy’s actions, with many accusing him of displaying a “white saviour complex.”
The 1975 have yet to comment on the suit nor have filed a defence to the lawsuit.
Additional sources • Variety