Dzieciuki band labelled extremists, no chance to perform

The Hrodna band Dzieciuki has probably fallen under the unofficial ban. Their last performance took place in Minsk at the Euroradio Music Awards gig called  "Dayom Rady (We Succeed)" on 27 February. After that, all the attempts to organize a concert of the group were unsuccessful. The Hrodna punks were going to present the new album "Echo" in the Minsk club Re:Public on May 14, but the Minsk City Executive Committee has not yet issued a permit for the event.

The same thing happened with the band's performance at the club Beer&Wine in May 15 to be held at the festival "Day of the Bagpipes." Chairman of the Main Directorate of Ideological Work, Culture and Youth Affairs of Minsk City Executive Committee Pavel Skalaban did not comment on why the "Dzieciuki" can not perform in Minsk and said that everything was explained in a letter to the organizers:

"We explained everything in the document. Where can you get the document? I do not know, we sent it to the applicant."

The organizers of the concert also declined to comment on the situation. According to the Euroradio source at the Minsk City Executive Committee, the response of the ideologues said that the activities of "Dzieciuki" falls under paragraph 5 of Chapter 2 of the "Regulations on organization and holding of entertainment activities", approved by Presidential decree. Under this paragraph, the document states the following.:

"Prohibited events:

whose purpose is to promote war or extremist activities;

pose a threat to national security, public order, morals, health, rights and freedoms of citizens;

violate the requirements of these Regulations and other acts of legislation, including in the field of copyright and related rights."

The band is now on tour in Poland and Ukraine. The musicians treat the situation with Minsk concerts philosophically:

"They ban you, then they allow you. We will continue to engage in enlightenment and creativity!"

Dzieciuki is a Hrodna folk-punk group founded in 2012. They have two full-length albums "Hrodna pandemonium" and "Echo".