Boycott the Tradgarn

To: Show-Goers, Promoters, Bands, Booking Agents, Managers
The Tradgarn venue and Swedish Security in Gottenberg have been responsible for racially assaulting an International Touring Band. Here are some of the reasons why you should boycott this venue and enforce a firing of the swedish "security" guards:

On the evening of March 14th, 2006, Somali/Canadian recording artist, Knaan, and his manager, Sol Guy, were physically attacked by security guards working for the Tradgarn venue in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Guy and Knaan are currently on a European tour as the support act for Grammy Award winning reggae star Damian Jr. Gong" Marley.

1. Having completed the show that evening they were leaving an area of Tradgarn venue when Knaan was shoved out the door by a security guard and told that they had to leave.

2. Confused by the security guards actions, Guy replied that they still had equipment and computers in the venue and needed to access another part of the venue in order to gather their things. In an effort to avoid further unprovoked physical assault Guy attempted to walk around the security guard. Rather than act in the professional manner required of his position, the security guard instead chose to rally his colleagues in violence.

3. While Knaan was restrained and assaulted by two security guards, Guy was dragged into a kitchen area by two other security guards and subsequently kicked and punched in the ribs, jaws, head and face.

4. He was then handcuffed and made to lie on a dirty floor littered with bits of glass.

5. The Gothenburg city police were called and upon their arrival took only the security guards statement and then arrested Guy without explaining what it was that he was being charged with.

6. Upon arrival at the police station Guy was strip-searched and incarcerated in a pitch black cell, isolated for approximately three hours before he was allowed to make his statement.

7. Guy remained in custody for approximately six hours in total at which point no charges were filed and he was released. While we are not privy to Swedish law, we view the actions of the Gothenburg police as unjust.

We feel that the action of the security guards of Tradgarn venue were not only unprofessional, arrogant and unjustifiably violent but also racist in nature. Guy and company were not random crowd-goers but performing artists contracted to work that evening! The disrespect, violence and racism demonstrated by the security guards of the venue can at no point be justified.

We call for the termination of the employees in question and for the boycott of future use of the venue. Our experience at Tradgarn was undignified and scarring and we will not silently endure this kind of injustice, lest the next brother that comes along endure such obvious hatred.

Of course, some of the very large national touring acts can afford to put up with the racist acts of the Tradgarn; still, most of the bands, concert goers, managers, and decent human beings would benefit by boycotting the Tradgarn and playing different venues.

If the undersigned would please leave comments of personal anecdotes and observations of the Tradgarn (must be personal or factual, please don't say rumors).
Thank you,
one love