Speaking at a meeting with top cultural figures broadcast on national television, Putin complained about the cancellation of some Russian cultural events in recent weeks and compared it to the actions of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
“Not long ago, child writer JK Rowling was also canceled because … she did not thank the fans of so-called gender freedoms,” Putin told the meeting, referring to the controversy sparked by Harry Potter author’s views on issues. trans.
“Today they are trying to annul an entire culture of thousands of years, our people,” he said. “I am talking about the gradual discrimination in what is connected with Russia.”
“The last time such a massive campaign was launched to destroy unacceptable literature was by the Nazis in Germany almost 90 years ago,” Putin said.
Several events in which Russian cultural figures voiced their support for the war have been canceled, including some with the participation of Valery Gergiev, director general of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, who spoke with Putin during Friday’s meeting.
Gergiev was fired from his position as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic and missed the opportunity to conduct at La Scala in Milan after failing to condemn the Russian invasion.
The Spanish Teatro Real, one of Europe’s largest opera houses, canceled performances of the Russian Bolshoi Ballet later this year. Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams have canceled sales of Russian art in London.
EVENTS CANCELED
A much smaller number of events were canceled due to their association with dead Russian cultural figures.
The Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra has ruled out a concert with Tchaikovsky’s music, and media reports say orchestras in Japan and Croatia have made similar decisions.
Rowling quickly distanced herself from Putin by posting a Twitter article critical of the Kremlin and its treatment of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“Criticisms of Western culture of annulment are probably no better than those who are currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance or imprisoning and poisoning their critics,” he wrote.
Russia has denied that it attacked civilians in what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, but Western powers say they have repeatedly hit political targets in what they call an unprovoked and unwarranted invasion.
The Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra said it had been subjected to “hate speech and vicious comments” following the cancellation of Tchaikovsky’s concert.
“Basic humanity takes precedence over art and history,” he said in a Facebook post. “Once the humanitarian crisis is over, the debate over ‘awakening’ and ‘culture annulment’ may have its place.”
(Report by Reuters, Written by Conor Humphries and Guy Faulconbridge, Edited by Kevin Liffey, Raissa Kasolowsky and Hugh Lawson)
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