Poland: young Catholics protest against Madonna concert

No to Madonna concert

A group of young Catholics in Poland has launched an online petition calling for the cancellation of a Madonna concert at Warsaw's National Stadium on 1 August.

The day marks the commemoration of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis during which more than 200,000 people were killed. Special Masses are held each year and at 5pm sirens wail before the city comes to a standstill for a minute's silence.

The young protesters are also angry at the 53 year-old pop star's on-stage antics which have recently included burning crucifixes, posing on a cross, wearing a crown of thorns and making obscene gestures with other religious objects. More than 33,000 people have signed the petition to date.

A spokesperson for the tour promoter LiveNation, said yesterday that the concert would be going ahead, but in response to the protests there would be a screening of a two minute film about the Warsaw Uprising before the start of the concert.

To see the petition go to: http://Protestuj.pl/