will.i.am responds to critics after Black Eyed Peas wear rainbow armbands during Polish gig
will.i.am responded to an anti-LGBTQ+ activist on Twitter after he criticised the Black Eyed Peas for wearing rainbow armbands during a performance in Poland over the weekend.
The Where Is The Love? group, also featuring J. Rey Soul, Apl.de.ap and Taboo, wore the armbands to show support for the LGBTQ+ community during their appearance on the Polish public broadcaster TVP's New Year's Eve show over the weekend.
The act of solidarity outraged Polish anti-LGBTQ+ activist Marcin Warchol, a member of Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS), who tweeted, "LGBT promotion in TVP2. DISGRACE! It's not a New Year's Eve of Dreams but a New Year's Eve of Deviance."
The Voice U.K. judge quoted the tweet and wrote, "WHEREStheLOVE??? Unity, tolerance, understanding, oneness, respect, diversity & inclusion...THATS LOVE...people are people & we should all practice to honor & love all the different types of people on earth & learn from them...I LOVE YOU your country...(sic)."
Warchol responded by asking will.i.am why the group didn't boycott the Qatar World Cup over the country's treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and the rapper explained that they used it as an opportunity to spread love.
"We went to these places to spread LOVE…why boycott when you can go directly to the source that needs to be inspired and try your hardest to inspire them and spread LOVE…it’s called #LOVE," he commented.
Last week, former Spice Girl Mel C dropped out of her performance on Poland's New Year's Eve show due to issues that didn't align with the communities she supports. She did not specify the issues but many of her followers assumed she was referring to the LGBTQ+ community and praised her for taking a stand against the conservative country. She made a brief appearance during London's New Year's Eve show instead.
While homosexual activity is legal in Poland, same-sex marriage and civil unions are not legally recognised.
