Wilco announced via Facebook today that they will not be performing at the Murat in Indianapolis this May. The group canceled the show as a protest against the state’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Fans in Indiana got a surprise today from Wilco, who issued the following statement:
We are canceling our May 7 show at the Murat in Indianapolis. The “Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act” feels like…
Posted by Wilco on Monday, 30 March 2015
Take a look at the post right here for more details.
Wilco isn’t the only famous name to boycott the state of Indiana in light of the new act. George Takei recently called for a nationwide boycott of Indiana until the act gets overturned.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act gives businesses the legal right to deny service to patrons based on religious belief. Opponents of the act worry that it gives businesses the right to discriminate against people (especially the LGBTQ community) without legal repercussions. Since sexual orientation is not protected against such discrimination in Indiana state law, the law could be used to discriminate against people in the LGBTQ community at large.
Wilco will give those who have tickets to the show a refund at their point of purchase, but so far the band has no plans to return to the state of Indiana until the act is repealed.
This show is part of a series of tour dates the band announced earlier this year. Wilco is also set to perform at the Shaky Knees Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival and Solid Sound Festival this year. They announced the release of a box set of their material earlier this fall, but they have been focusing on touring this spring across the United States.