The organizers of Wallachian Gates, the first national-socialist black metal festival (NSBM) in Romania, which was scheduled to take place this weekend in Buzău, announce that the event has been canceled.
The decision comes after the event sparked controversy in the public space – NSBM being a subgenre of Black Metal music that propagates violent neo-Nazi messages – and alerted the authorities, who began checks as soon as the information about its organization in Romania appeared online.
"Due to several unforeseen issues, this edition is canceled. We will meet again soon in the lands of Wallachia, with a strong and remarkable line-up. Tickets purchased for this edition will remain valid for the next one. See you soon, and may our spirit be reborn!" announced the organizers on the event's Facebook page.
According to Context.ro, on July 10 and 11, the black metal music festival named Wallachian Gates was announced in Buzău.
The cited source notes that NSBM is a subgenre of Black Metal music that propagates violent neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic messages, denying or glorifying the Holocaust, promoting white supremacy, or other messages associated with the far right. There is a scene for such bands or festivals in several countries, including Finland, France, Norway, Italy, Poland, Germany, Brazil, Ukraine, and the USA.
"The organizers of Wallachian Gates have announced and promoted several international bands known for their NSBM profile, such as Goatmoon, Ad Hominem, Funeral (formerly Kristallnacht), as well as some Cluj bands that have emerged in recent years in Romania," writes Context.ro.
The organizers have taken a series of measures: tickets were purchased through private messages, the location is announced on the opening day of the festival, and only for ticket holders, while filming, photographing, or publicly distributing any materials showing details from the festival, except for the artists, is prohibited.
In the regulations published by the organizers, they claim that the festival is private and "NON-political," prohibiting the presence of flags, "except for national ones" (but not from the Second World War), "political" tattoos, or any "unusual costumes." At the same time, they state that the organizers are not responsible for the violation of these rules.
Officials from the Buzău County Gendarmerie told News.ro on Thursday that, in the absence of a request for organizing such a festival, there can be no talk of an agreement or approval from the authorities for the conduct of the event.
Gendarmerie representatives stated that the institution is constantly monitoring the situation and is in an operational alert state, so that they can intervene promptly if circumstances require it or if elements arise that necessitate specific measures to maintain public order and safety.