A large music festival in Sweden that has seen performances by artists such as Kanye West, Robbie Williams and Iron Maiden has called off next year’s event after several reports of sexual abuse.
The Bravalla festival in Norrkoping, southern Sweden, says the decision was made after a rape was reported Friday. Swedish police say they so far have 11 cases of sexual abuse and one rape at the July 28-July 1 festival.
The music festival said Saturday it had attempted to prevent rapes and sexual abuses but “some men — because we are talking about men — apparently can’t behave. It’s a shame.”
The festival, which started in 2013 and draws about 40,000, urged people to “take care of each other, choke hatred and violence and let the music win.”
Sweden Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told a news conference Sunday (July 2) that he was upset that young women who wanted to listen to music should be “exposed to this.” He said “these are disgusting acts. We must stop this.”
Lofven said Sweden needed better policing, more video surveillance and swifter justice for perpetrators.
[“Source-billboard”]
