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Polish electronic music community calls for global support following anti-LGBTQ+ violence

Unsound, Brutaż, Oramics and more speak out...

Poland's electronic music community has called for global support following a spate of anti-LGBTQ+ violence.

Labels and festivals including Unsound, Brutaż and Oramics have united in solidarity with the victims of recent right-wing violence at the likes of Białystok's Pride march earlier this month. Despite the support of promoters and festivals like, opinions still remain divided.

Techno promoters Revive were criticised for taking a neutral stance on the anti-LBGTQ+ issue. In a Facebook post that has now been deleted, Revive wrote phrases including "Revive free from politics" and "There are two sides to every story". Since the comments, Kangding Ray has publically cancelled a performance as Neon Chambers at Interior Festival, an event promoted by Revive, with Avalon Emerson's name also removed from the line-up. 

Speaking to Resident Advisor, Łukasz Warna-Wiesławski, a spokesperson for Unsound, said, "As promoters we need to take full responsibility for what we say and do. We're all connected to a broader political world, whether we like it or not. Events in Białystok were reprehensible, but they didn't happen in vacuum. We all try to create a shelter for our guests, but we can't ever forget why we do it. It might be rare for club music to contain words, but politics are in its DNA.

"The struggle it was born out of is still ongoing, so there's nothing radical or controversial about standing in solidarity with the victims of violence and the underprivileged, especially if you have a platform to speak against violence or hate. We often underestimate how our world is shaped by culture and how much power we have to make it a better place. It's just basic human decency, and it should be a norm."

Revisit our recent feature exploring how Poland's radical DIY club scene became an international rave haven. Watch our recent Stories From The City documentary about Kraków's underground club scene below. 

Returning from 6th to 13th October, Unsound Kraków will welcome the likes of Objekt, Violet, Eris Drew b2b Octa Octa, Sherelle, Nazira and Paula Temple.

Please suppport the LGBTQIA community in Poland pic.twitter.com/cRcNEsnXFs

— ORAMICS (@Oramicspl) July 25, 2019

So there's a full fledged ant-lgbt campaign fueled by the government and the church going on in Poland right now and the people behind Revive and Interior festivals release a statement that there's always to sides of the story and the judgment depends on someone's perspective...

— łukasz warna-wiesławski (@wrnwslwsk) July 24, 2019