Dutch pop stars organise unity concert

17 November 2004

AMSTERDAM — Leading Dutch pop stars are to perform at a free concert to help ease tensions between the various communities in Amsterdam following the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh.

Promoter Mojo Concerts said on Tuesday evening the event – entitled Stay Close! – takes place in Museumplein in Amsterdam from 3-5pm on Sunday 21 November.

The list of acts who have already agreed to perform include Blof, Ali B, Kane, and Lange Frans and Baas B.

“The initiative came from the music world itself. It is very possible that a large number of other artists will sign up before Sunday,” a spokesperson for Mojo said.

The organisers’ goal is to impress on all sections of the community to ‘stay together’ following Van Gogh’s murder.

Mohammed B., the 26-year-old man arrested for the killing, holds Dutch and Moroccan nationality. A letter pinned to the victim’s body with a knife suggested Van Gogh was killed because of his vocal criticism of Islam.

It also warned that other critics of Islam also risked murder unless they stay silent.

About 120,000 of Amsterdam’s 738,763 residents are Muslim and Van Gogh’s killing has increased tensions and suspicions among sections of the community. But fears of large-scale unrest have so far proved unfounded.

The murder did however spark a wave of tit-for-tat arson attacks on mosques and churches across the Netherlands.

Subject: Dutch news