Singer banned from UK for anti-gay lyrics

A controversial Jamaican reggae star was last night banned from Britain by the Home Office because of his anti-gay lyrics and public incitements to violence. Sizzla, real name Miguel Collins, who was to arrive in London yesterday for a short British tour, has become the centre of protests by gay groups over his alleged homophobic views.

A controversial Jamaican reggae star was last night banned from Britain by the Home Office because of his anti-gay lyrics and public incitements to violence. Sizzla, real name Miguel Collins, who was to arrive in London yesterday for a short British tour, has become the centre of protests by gay groups over his alleged homophobic views.

He is among eight reggae stars whose songs attacking homosexuality are being examined by Scotland Yard and the Crown Prosecution Service to see if they amount to incitement to violence.

Home Office sources said the singer was told by letter yesterday that because of his alleged use of homophobic language and incitement to violence, he would not be allowed to enter the United Kingdom. He has 14 days to appeal.

Although three of the five dates on the tour had been cancelled, promoters had been hoping to go ahead with the remaining two, in Bradford tonight and London on Saturday. Ticket-holders can claim refunds.

Outrage, the gay rights group, had called for the concerts to be banned on public order grounds after the murder of a gay man on London's South Bank on Saturday in attacks by a gang of teenagers, which may have had a homophobic motive.

Sizzla, 28, is a member of an extreme branch of Rastafarianism called "Bobo Dreads" and has made 25 albums since 1995. He is said to be almost a recluse, who detests the record industry and refuses to attend awards ceremonies.

Outrage says he has often used homophobic language, on and off stage. Incidents cited by the group, and submitted to the Home Office, include one concert in Jamaica this year when he threatened and abused gay men and an interview with a Canadian music magazine in August when he said, 'Burn sodomite, burn battyman [Jamaican patois for homosexual) ... burn all things that are wrong." His lyrics to one song include the phrase, "Fire fi di man dem weh go ride man behind", which, translated, says: "Burn the men who have sex with men from behind."

Brett Lock, a spokesman for Outrage, said: "We are delighted at this decision. We are grateful to all those in the gay community who contacted the police, venues, their MPs and the Home Office over this. It would have been inappropriate and sick to have allowed a man with such views to perform in this country in the wake of a homophobic murder."

The first date on the tour, at Milton Keynes, had been cancelled because the singer was unable to make Tuesday night's flight while the Home Office was still deciding whether to let him enter. The final date, at Bristol Carling Academy next Monday, was also cancelled and Friday night's performance at the Aston Villa leisure centre in Birmingham was stopped by its management because of licensing worries. The promoters had a clause in his contract preventing homophobic, sexist or racist lyrics onstage.

The Crown Prosecution Service is examining the lyrics from songs by the eight artists to establish whether there are grounds for prosecution. The others are Elephant Man, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel, Capleton and the group T.O.K.