Paris attacks anniversary: Bataclan managers deny entry to Eagles of Death Metal over Jesse Hughes' comments
'There are things you can't forgive,' manager says after frontman suggested staff were involved
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Your support makes all the difference.Members of Eagles of Death Metal, the US band who were playing at the Bataclan when Isis gunmen stormed in and massacred 90 people a year ago, have been turned away from the venue’s reopening concert over controversial remarks made by their lead singer.
A venue manager said he refused to grant the group entry because of allegedtion from frontman Jesse Hughes earlier this year, suggesting Muslim staff at the Bataclan were involved in the attack.
Bataclan co-manager Jules Frutos told AFP: “They came, I threw them out — there are things you can't forgive.”
Hughes, a Donald Trump supporter, had told the Taki's Magazine website he had seen some "terrorists" in the Bataclan concert hall before the ill-fated show and saw "Muslims celebrating in the street during the attack".
He later claimed in a televised interview that security guards could have been complicit in the attack after claiming six members of security did not show up on the night for the event.
Following Hughes’ remarks, two French music festivals cancelled scheduled performances by the band, saying they were "in total disagreement with Jesse Hughes's recent allegations."
Survivors of the attack criticised the singer for the comments, with one writing an emotional letter to the singer condemning his "stupid and hateful" claims of a Muslim conspiracy.
Following the outrage Hughes had apologised for his remarks, issuing a statement on Facebook retracting his “unfounded and baseless” comments, and adding that he was experiencing on-going trauma from the shooting and “non-stop nightmares”.
Mr Frutos added: “He makes these incredibly false declarations every two months. It is madness, accusing our security of being complicit with the terrorists... Enough. Zero. This has to stop.”
Sting reopened the Bataclan on Saturday night to mark a year since 90 people were massacred by Isis gunmen at the packed rock concert on 13 November last year.
The English singer-songwriter paid tribute to those who were killed in the venue and called for the audience to stage a minute’s silence in their honour.
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