I couldn't believe it when I saw this article in the NME. Manchester UK police are now treating attacks on punks, goths, and emo kids as hate crimes, equal to that of an attack based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation!
According to police, "People who wish to express their alternative sub-culture identity freely should not have to tolerate hate crime". This comes as a result of a 20-year-old getting murdered in Manchester for dressing as a goth.
Do you agree with including these musical subcultures in a hate crime law? Have you ever been teased, bullied, harassed, or abused simply because of your style of dress or the music you listen to?
Let me know by commenting on our blog, or tweeting me up @grantlawrence. Listen to the discussion today on CBC Radio 3 w/ Grant Lawrence
Top 5 Gigs of the Weekend
Sun Apr 7, Jay Smith Memorial Concert, Halifax NS. A star-studded line up pays tribute to the recently deceased, legendary Cape Breton rock guitarist, w/ Matt Mays, Joel Plaskett, the Stanfields, In-Flight Safety and many more as Casino Nova Scotia.
Sun Apr 7, Two Hours Traffic / Rah Rah, Canmore AB. There is no better place to spend a Sunday that at the Communitea Cafe, especially with these two bands of maritime and prairie origin.
Sat Apr 6, Yukon Blonde / Zeus, Calgary AB. An end-of-the-alphabet double bill of indie zen at the Republik.
Sat Apr 6, Stars / Said the Whale, Vancouver BC. The tour that is apparently one hell of a party wagon finally rolls into Vancouver for two shows in one day (all ages / drinking) at the Commodore Ballroom.
Sat Apr 6 / Sun Apr 7, Shred Kelly / the Good Ol' Goats, Kimberley BC. One of our Searchlight finalists performs with one of our Tracks on Tracks winners this weekend at the Kimberley Alpine Resort.
Related:
Vote in our Searchlight Final Four