WASHINGTON, May 20 (UPI) — Maroon 5 will not be performing in North Carolina following the recent passing of the state’s controversial House Bill 2, nicknamed the “bathroom bill.”
The band released a brief statement citing morality as the reason why they decided to cancel the shows.
“We have announced that we will be canceling our upcoming shows in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina because of the recent passage of the HB2 legislation,” the band said Friday on their website. “This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band. We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right.”
The band has thus canceled two shows in the state — in Charlotte and Raleigh — as formerly part of their current tour.
They join the legion of artists — including Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr, and Bruce Springsteen — who have opted to cancel their North Carolina shows following the passing of the HB2 Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, which specifies the bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use.
Other artists, like Beyonce and Jackson Browne have opted to protest the law in other ways, including donating proceeds and bringing awareness to LGBT groups in the state.
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