Organizations react to rapper Slowthai wearing swastika t-shirt at Osheaga music festival

Warning: This story may contain details and images that disturb readers.

Many onlookers were left angry, even uneasy, after a British rapper performed while wearing a swastika t-shirt at Montreal’s Osheaga music festival this weekend.

The issue arose after videos were posted on Twitter of 27-year-old political rapper Tyron Frampton (also known as ‘Slowthai’) performing in Osheaga in a shirt that read the word ‘destroy’ above it. an image of a swastika.

On the T-shirt, a pink swastika is painted in a red circle with an inverted image of Jesus on the cross above it. An upside-down stamp of Queen Elizabeth is also hidden in the corner.

A number of Jewish groups reacted to the images circulating.

A prominent US-based nonpartisan organization, Stop Antisemitism, tweeted: “AWORFUL! The one word that comes to mind when we see Tyron Frampton (ie @slowthai) cleared to perform yesterday at the Osheaga Music Festival in Quebec City adorning a bright red swastika. Why wasn’t he immediately ripped from the scene @osheage @Nfarkas?!”

Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, a Toronto-based human rights organization, also reacted to the rapper’s video on Twitter.

“This ambiguous presentation of the swastika was chilling to Jews and others and should never have happened on stage,” they said in a tweet.

Many other participants reacted and denounced Slowthai’s decision to wear such a T-shirt.

A twitter user said, “I was actually at the show and felt pretty damn uncomfortable. Happy with my decision to leave…”

However, many Twitter and Reddit users were also quick to point out that Slowthai’s t-shirt was a version of an iconic “Destroy” t-shirt designed by Vivienne Westwood in 1977, created in collaboration with artist Malcolm McLaren. .

Although the word “DESTROY” was clearly visible, the rapper faced heavy criticism, including allegations of anti-Semitism, and posted a excuses shortly after the event.

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Osheaga has also posted a formal apology on its social media platforms.

The festival said Slowthai’s fashion choice “confused” some attendees who might not have understood that he was “denouncing the regime”.

The statement said:

“A performer appeared on stage on Saturday wearing a controversial T-shirt displaying a swastika which caused confusion. The T-shirt denounces the regime. We sincerely apologize to anyone who misinterpreted this message and felt hurt .”