BONO echoed the iconic words of Martin Luther King Jr. after protests over the acquittal of a white police officer forced both U2 and Ed Sheeran to cancel concerts in the US.
The Irish frontman said he was “deeply saddened at what has happened in St. Louis and having to cancel our show” in light of violent protests over the shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith.
Last week, former local police officer Jason Stockley was found not guilty of murder in the 2011 shooting of the African-American father of one.
“I found myself reading Dr. King's speech from the National Cathedral and asking myself is this 1968 or 2017?" Bono said in a post on U2’s Instagram account.
He then shared the following quote from Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech: "Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability….we are coming to ask America to be true to the huge promissory note that it signed years ago.
“And we are coming to engage in dramatic nonviolent action, to call attention to the gulf between promise and fulfilment; to make the invisible visible."
St. Louis Police Department said U2’s concert at the Dome at America’s Center on Saturday night was cancelled over “safety concerns.”
British singer Ed Sheeran’s planned concert at the Scottrade Center on Sunday was also cancelled for the same reason.
SLPD said they were too stretched monitoring the continuing protests throughout to police the concerts, and worried that the venues would be understaffed.
Though some U2 fans expressed disappointment on the band’s social media accounts, many were also supportive.
“I applauded your consciousness even in the midst of how this may inconvenience you. Your comments in the direction of justice and equality are both welcomed and appreciated,” said one fan.
While another disappointed concert-goer said: “Drove 10 hours from Dallas to see the U2 concert. Hope to see them next time. Bummed but hopeful!”
