The Super Bowl 50 Halftime show was one of the highlights of this past Sunday’s big game, with Beyoncé making an appearance alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars, performing her brand new single Formation. The superstar followed that up by revealing that she will be heading out on a tour named after the single which is set begin in April. Fans have been abuzz since then, not only for her video and single, but also the tour, which sold out in minutes.
With that said, a few people were not pleased with the performance, not for the content of the song, but rather the attire and message within the performance. Flanked by her dancers, Beyoncé and company hit the stage wearing gear that paid homage to the Black Panther Party, while also shedding light on the topic of police brutality that has gripped the nation over the past few years. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani went on Fox News earlier this week and lambasted the singer, saying that her performance was “anti-police.”
Now, Canada is getting in on the act, with Toronto City Counsellor Jim Karygiannis telling The Toronto Sun that the Canadian government should investigate Beyoncé and her dancers for possible ties to the Black Panther party.
Jim Karygiannis:
Perhaps Immigration Minister John McCallum should have her investigated first? If someone wore bullets and supported (a radical group) here, they would not be welcomed in the United States—that’s for sure. She or some of them could be found not eligible to enter the country as others in the past have faced.
He went on to highlight other artists who were turned away at the border in the past including Chris Brown, Danny Brown, The Game and A$AP Rocky. Beyoncé’s Formation World tour is set to make stops in Toronto and Edmonton in May, so it will be interesting to see if this idea gains any momentum. Karygiannis did not necessarily say that she should be banned, but he definitely thinks she should be looked into and later passed on the responsibility to Canada’s Immigration office.
We should not be promoting gun culture or anti-police sentiments. [McCallum’s office] is where it should be addressed. If you’re offended by it, don’t let her in.
