Heilung react to incident at show: “we do not tolerate hate speech and racism”

Heilung have issued a statement on the alleged harassment of a black woman at their Wednesday night (1/29) show at Webster Hall. “Apparently some people attended our ritual with the idea that Heilung is only for white people,” they write. “This is not the case. Heilung is for ALL people, regardless of the color of the skin. And we are sorry that this happened at our show. We do not tolerate hate speech and racism.” Read their statement in full below.

The band had previously replied to a message on their Facebook page describing the alleged incident. “My black friend went to your show tonight,” the message reads. “She loved the music and was enjoying the show until some racist, wannabe Vikings went out of their way to express to her specifically that the show was for people of white, west European extraction and not her or, presumably, anyone whose ancestors came from anywhere else. She was made so uncomfortable, she left. Some bands condemn violence at their shows. While I don’t blame you for this or think you ascribe to these views, I think it is important that you make clear that these pigs aren’t who you’re performing for, because this WAS an act of violence, even if no fists or weapons were used.”

Heilung’s statement on Facebook

A comment on politics

It has been put to the attention of the band that a woman of black color was harassed at one of our shows in New York. Apparently some people attended our ritual with the idea that Heilung is only for white people. This is not the case. Heilung is for ALL people, regardless of the color of the skin. And we are sorry that this happened at our show. We do not tolerate hate speech and racism. Anyone trying to fit the band into a political agenda of any sort has clearly not understood what Heilung is about. That includes but is certainly not limited to white supremacy. Heilung is none of it, and will have none of it. We do not tolerate display of divisiveness and hate in the audience at our rituals. Heilung is about something much older than today’s politics, which is why we do not include modern topics in our works. Heilung is about what brings us together. It’s about what we have in common, not what divides us. Heilung is about spirituality, history, nature and that one great being, that was always there, before people lived and named it.

Heilung