RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The prohibition of political demonstrations by a Brazilian Supreme Electoral Court judge against artists at the Lollapalooza festival, following a request from President Jair Bolsonaro’s party, sparked controversy on freedom of expression this Sunday.
TSE judge Raul Araújo on Saturday granted a filing by the Liberal Party, which Bolsonaro joined in November, objecting as irregular propaganda to two artists’ criticism of the president and support for his possible rival, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during their performances on Friday at the festival that closed on Sunday in São Paulo.
Drag queen singer Pabllo Vittar even raised a flag with the face of the leftist leader. This Sunday, T4F, the festival’s production company, filed an appeal with the TSE in which it points out that the ban “ends up imposing prior censorship” on the musicians performing this Sunday and highlights its impossibility to control or prohibit the content expressed by the artists, according to the Folha de Sao Paulo website.
As the company quoted in that media, what happened is part of the “regular exercise of freedom of expression”. The Workers’ Party (PT), led by Lula da Silva, repudiated the “censorship” of the artists, considering it “a serious mistake”, it said in a note published on its website.
The action “takes us back to the times of the dictatorship”, it added.
Judge Araújo set a fine of R$50,000 (US$10,540) for the organizers of the event if there were more political demonstrations.
Famous Brazilian singer Anitta, who appeared on the São Paulo stage on Saturday night as a guest alongside Miley Cyrus, ironized on Twitter: “50 thousand? Well, one wallet less. OUT BOLSONAROOOOO”.
Renowned YouTuber Felipe Neto, Bolsonaro’s opponent, offered help to those who are fined: “Lolla artists, many can’t deal with government persecution, in case they are persecuted for positioning themselves… I help pay that illegal fine. Face it!”, he wrote on his social networks.
With information from EFE