Controversial Croatian singer Marko Perkovic Thompson will hold a concert at the Arena Hall in Zagreb on December 27- but instead of the two gigs he had planned, only one will take place. The city authorities have not permitted a second show.
The decision has added to a confrontation brewing for some time between the leftist Mayor, Tomislav Tomasevic, and the right-wing singer – whose nickname Thompson is taken from the famous machine gun and whose songs glorify Croatian nationalism.
Thompson’s mega-gig in July in Zagreb, which reportedly attracted the largest concert audience that Croatia has ever seen, sparked concerns about resurgent far-right nationalist sentiments in Croatia – and worries that ruling party politicians are capitalising on such sentiments for political advantage.
The row with the mayor escalated on Tuesday when Thompson posted a video on Facebook in which he urged Tomasevic to “come to his senses”, and warned ominously that, if the mayor does not lift the ban on his second concert, he will “take much more radical steps”.
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