Indonesian Islamists threaten Gaga show

JAKARTA - Agence France-Presse

This photo shows US pop star Lady Gaga arriving at Narita international airport as part of her Asian tour. AFP photo

A hardline Islamic group warned yesterday it would not let Lady Gaga set foot in Indonesia, challenging an army of fans awaiting a concert in the nation with the world’s largest Muslim population.
 
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) vowed to mobilise 30,000 demonstrators to protest the US artist’s June 3 performance in Jakarta and to intercept her at the airport. “We will stop her from setting foot on our land. She had better not dare spread her satanic faith in this country,” FPI Jakarta chairman Salim Alatas told AFP.
 
“Her style is vulgar, her sexual and indecent clothes will destroy our children’s sense of morality. She’s very dangerous,” he said.
 
The pop diva, famed for her outrageous outfits and provocative performances, has sparked opposition in other Asian countries with her “Born This Way Ball” global tour, which kicked off in Seoul last month amid protests.
 
But the FPI, notorious for making threats and often failing to follow through, will face opposition from 40,000 fans planning to attend the sold-out show in Indonesia.
 
Little Monsters, as Lady Gaga fans are called, tweeted their determination to see the pop idol perform in
Indonesia, 90 percent of whose 240,000 million inhabitants identify themselves as Muslim.
 
“Little Monsters Indonesia vs FPI. I’m ready to fight,” Bentaniokevin tweeted to the LadyGagaIndo Twitter account. “What?!! The FPI want to cancel Lady Gaga’s concert? They don’t know art!!” nataliahaman tweeted.
 
One page on Facebook in Indonesia was seeking dancers for a Lady Gaga flashmob, which sees people perform a choreographed dance in a public place.
 
The flashmob is “to show our appreciation to Lady Gaga for planning to visit and to tell others who don’t approve of her that there’s nothing wrong with being her fans,” said Anggiat Sihombing, who set up the LadyGagaIndo account.