Afropunk Responds to Controversy Surrounding M.I.A.’s Black Lives Matter Comments

Afropunk is getting ready to hold its first festival in London and it’s already dealing with a social justice flare-up thanks to M.I.A., the scheduled headliner. Potential attendees and activists have spoken out against the Sri Lankan singer because of the comments she made about the Black Lives Matter movement back in April (“Is Beyoncé or Kendrick Lamar going to say Muslim Lives Matter? Or Syrian Lives Matter? Or this kid in Pakistan matters?”).

After British fans threatened to boycott Afropunk, M.I.A announced on Twitter that she would no longer perform at the festival.

Instead of giving into the outrage, Afropunk released a statement defending M.I.A and confirming that, despite the tweet, she’s still part of the lineup.

“We hope that this event also brings to light the experiences of black Brits, immigrants, and refugees in the U.K., who are continuously erased,” the statement says. “Let’s love and struggle along with one another — and turn up on the system.”

Afropunk London takes place on September 24. You can read the festival’s statement in full below. And if you must know, Azealia Banks also supports M.I.A. You can read what she has to say, too.