Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes has successfully prevented his music from being used during anti-Islam rallies like those held around Australia last weekend. Taking to Facebook, anti-Islam group Reclaim Australia insisted they would refrain from using Barnes’ music.
After Channel Nine reporter Michael Best tweeted a video taken during a Reclaim Australia protest in Brisbane, during which Cold Chisel’s ‘Khe Sanh’ could be heard in the background, Barnes took to Facebook to issue a statement condemning the group’s use of his music.
“It has come to my attention that certain groups of people have been using my voice, my songs as their anthems at rallies,” Barnes wrote. “I only want to say the Australia I belong to and love is a tolerant Australia.”
“A place that is open and giving. It is a place that embraces all sorts of different people, in fact it is made stronger by the diversity of its people. If you look at my family you can see we are a multicultural family,” he continued.
Barnes’ wife, Jane, with whom the singer has four children, was born in Thailand. “Australia needs to stand up for Love and Tolerance in these modern times. None of these people represent me and I do not support them.”
Reclaim Australia have now issued a response, saying they will no longer play Barnes’ music at rallies. “We are deeply saddened at the news of Jimmy Barnes asking us not to play his songs at our rallies,” they wrote on Facebook.
“Mr Barnes, you have mistakenly believed incorrect news reports that Reclaim Australia is a racist group. This is not true. Inevitably at our rallies we unfortunately have some fanatics and we have tried our best to have them removed.”
“We are and will continue to support you privately as you are an Aussie Icon, however if it’s your wish, we will no longer play your songs at our Rallies,” they concluded.
As ABC News reports, last weekend saw numerous anti-Islam protests taking place across Australia, with clashes erupting between warring demonstrators. In Melbourne, police were forced to use capsicum spray as anti-racism protesters clashed with nationalists.
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Back in April, Australian songwriter John Schumann condemned the use of ‘I Was Only Nineteen’, the classic Australian peace anthem he wrote as a member of Adelaide band Redgum in 1983, during a Reclaim Australia rally.
Speaking to News Corp, Schumann said the song was written to help people understand the plight of Australian Vietnam War veterans, and like his other songs, preached compassion, tolerance, and inclusiveness.
“I am very, very disappointed to see my work co-opted by what I, at my most charitable, consider to be a very confused `patriotic’ movement,” Schumann said in a statement at the time.
Schumann said the song honours all Australians who have put themselves in harm’s way for their country. “It is not to be used to advance ignorance and intolerance, especially as we approach the centenary of Anzac,” he added.
We are deeply saddened at the news of Jimmy Barnes asking us not to play his songs at our rallies..Mr Barnes, you have…
Posted by Reclaim Australia Rally – Australia wide onTuesday, July 21, 2015
