HELLO Lancaster. Greetings from the Republic of Srpska.
We are sorry to hear about the actions of the authorities with regard to the Warehouse nightclub and want to express our support because our organisation is facing similar problems when we organise concerts and parties.
I speak on behalf of Manifest - a chain of organisations that conduct musical and artistic exchange between former Yugoslav countries and Scandinavia.
Every time we organise a concert or party where a foreign band come to play a legion of armoured police arrive to check for drugs - allegedly!
They bring with them dogs and harass people for an hour or so. We feel it's not a matter of drugs, they just want to make people feel afraid of expressing different views and opinions. The authorities want to turn cultural life into one big swamp so they can impose their own values.
Remember, if you raise a question there will be an answer. Questions are what they are afraid of so don't give up!
Zoran Ergarac
Society of Urban Artists "Manifest,"
Republic of Srpska
Bosnia (via e-mail)
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