US Embassy officials have urged Madonna fans to be vigilant after receiving a threat of physical violence at her concert in St. Petersburg.
The Embassy issued an alert to fans after receiving a threat of violence against the audience and the performers at tomorrow’s show at Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex.
A message posted on the US Consulate’s website warns, “The US Consulate General in St. Petersburg has received information regarding a threat of physical violence against spectators and performers at the St. Petersburg concert on August 9. The US Embassy in Moscow and the US Consulate General in St. Petersburg have shared the information with appropriate Russian law enforcement authorities….While we expect that enhanced security measures will be put in place at both concerts, US citizens are reminded to remain vigilant regarding their personal security, and to be aware of their surroundings at all times, especially in crowded areas”
Russian authorities have assured embassy officials that additional security measures will be in place for the performance, The Moscow Times reported.
The threat comes after Madonna spoke out to support the three members of the band Pussy Riot who are currently on trial for hooliganism charges in Moscow following a February performance in Christ the Savior Cathedral, where the band donned masks and sang lyrics criticizing Vladimir Putin and top Russian Orthodox official Patriarch Kirill.
Madonna said on stage Tuesday at Moscow’s Olympiisky show, “I mean no disrespect to the church or the government, but I think that these three girls — Masha, Katya, Nadya — have done something courageous, have paid the price for their act, and I pray for their freedom.”
The female rockers, who have been in detention since early March, face up to seven years in jail in a case that has split Russian society and drawn stinging criticism from abroad.
In a further gesture Tuesday, Madonna donned a balaclava — the Russian punk band’s calling card — and removed her top, revealing the words “Pussy Riot” written on her back, to perform her 1984 hit “Like a Virgin.”