On Sunday, Lady Gaga tweeted that “We had to cancel the concert in Indonesia. I’m so very sorry to the fans and just as devastated as you if not more. You are everything to me.” The tickets of the cancelled show would be refunded.
She also posted on the Twitter, “I will try to put together something special for you. My love for Indonesia has only grown.”
Though Indonesia is officially a secular state, it has the world’s largest population of Muslims. Gaga’s show was opposed by many small Islamic groups including the hardliners Islamic Defender Front who described Gaga as a “vulgar singer who wears only panties and a bra when she sings and she stated she is the envoy of the devil’s child and that she will spread satanic teaching.”
Last week, a huge number of demonstrators protested in Jakarta with banners saying “Go to hell Lady Gaga.” The Indonesian newspapers reported that the cancellation was caused not only due to security concerns over the person of Lady Gaga, but also the safety and security of the 52,000-strong audience who had already bought her tickets. It was difficult to protect such a big crowd from isolated incidents leading to riots.
Lady Gaga, performed in Philippines and Thailand last week before huge audiences and on Sunday, reacting to the Indonesian debacle, she posted, “There is nothing holy about hatred.”
The Indonesian National Police refused Lady Gaga the required permits over security concerns.