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MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Pop singer Lady Gaga arrived in the Philippines on Saturday to cheers from her little monsters and also protests from young Christians calling for the termination of her upcoming concerts in their country.
About 200 Christian young citizens marched in Manila for a second straight day, holding placards warned the singer to “respect our faith, stop the blasphemy.”
The Biblemode young Philippines members plan to hold a vigil starting Sunday near the performance venue. They said they are hurt by Lady Gaga’s music, especially her song “Judas,” which they said mocks Jesus Christ.
Beside all of these protests, camera-toting fans mobbed her, seeking her autograph as she walked into her hotel encircled by bodyguards. She arrived in Manila late Saturday on a private jet.
Authorities in the traditional, majority Roman Catholic country accepted the concerts, set for Monday and Tuesday, but said they won’t tolerate bareness or vulgar acts.
Sold-out crowds in different Asian countries and angry protests have followed Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” Asian tour.
Little Monsters younger than 18 were forbidden from concerts in South Korea over complaints her lyrics and costumes were too provocative, and
she was deprived of a gig permit in Indonesia by police under stress from Islamic hard-liners.
Riot police blocked Saturday’s marchers about a kilometer (half a mile) away from the show venue. Phalanxes of security guards stood on alert in front of the arena.
“She declared a distorted view toward Jesus Christ and for us Biblical Christians it is offensive,” said Ruben Abante, a protest leader. “Her music and everything about her is different from what our values are.”
Organizers from Ovation Productions said they respect the beliefs of critics but promised that the performances “will not pose a threat to their sense of morality and conduct.”
