Lady Gaga
canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia after Islamist hard-liners
threatened violence, claiming her sexy clothes and provocative
dance moves would corrupt the youth. The controversy was a blow to
the predominantly Muslim country’s reputation for combining free
speech and democracy with a mostly moderate brand of the faith.
Fans
were devastated, despite the promoter’s offer of full refunds. Some
accused police — who refused to issue a permit over concerns about
security — of buckling to the will of a small group of thugs.
The
planned “Born This Way Ball” concert has been on-again-off-again
from the start. But on Sunday, it was final, said Minola Sebayang, a
lawyer for Big Daddy, the promoter of the June 3 show.
