By Aidan Fishman
Campus Advocacy Coordinator
B’nai Brith Canada
A Montreal concert by the neo-Nazi-linked band “Graveland” was cancelled Saturday night after B’nai Brith Canada warned the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) about the group.
A CBSA spokesperson told B’nai Brith that, after the agency received B’nai Brith’s letter, Graveland was refused entry to Canada at Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport and forced to return to Poland.
Graveland, a heavy metal group, is popular among fans of “National Socialist Black Metal,” a genre featuring concert imagery that glorifies the Third Reich and lyrics that blend pagan European mythology with white nationalism. The group had been scheduled to appear at the Théâtre Plaza as part of the annual Messe des Morts music festival.
“We commend the CBSA for making the right decision and protecting Canadians from foreign nationals intent on spreading hatred,” said Amanda Hohmann, National Director of B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights. “With the recent rise of Neo-Nazi activity in Canada, it would be irresponsible for any group to support or promote this type of performance.”
This is not the first time that the CBSA has acted to prevent individuals accused of fostering hatred from entering Canada. In May, antisemitic French comedian Dieudonné was similarly forced to fly home after landing in Montreal and being denied entry by the CBSA.
