Australian punk band Big Bongin’ Baby have been kicked off stage in their home city, after allegedly displaying swastika flags during a performance in Brisbane over the weekend.
Big Bongin’ Baby were performing at Brisbane venue The Bearded Lady on Saturday, 5th January in support of The Dangermen, when the group allegedly revealed swastika flags to the audience.
The Bearded Lady’s General Manager Jamie Simmonds has since told Fairfax Media that staff cut the music from the stage after they were alerted to the flags by audience members.
Mr Simmonds said Big Bongin’ Baby yelled slogans about freedom of speech, and were also “using Buddhism as an excuse for their actions”.
“I was pissed off they did that but I was also angry that I didn’t react or pick it up sooner,” Simmonds told Fairfax Media.
“We do not condone what they did and we definitely don’t accept racism, sexism or homophobia at our venue.
“We are known to be a safe space for not only staff but for punters who enjoy music and for this to happen is not good.
“I feel like we’ve let people down in letting these idiots up on stage.”
Big Bongin’ Baby are yet to comment on the incident.
The band’s performance at The Bearded Lady took place just hours after police attended a rally involving far-right extremists at Melbourne’s St Kilda Beach on Saturday, where some attendees were seen giving Nazi salutes.
Local band Cosmic Psychos later condemned a man who was photographed wearing a Cosmic Psychos t-shirt and holding an SS helmet at the rally.
