U2 has canceled a planned concert for Saturday night in St. Louis, where crowds have been protesting the acquittal of a former city police officer who had been charged with murder in the shooting death of a black driver.
In a statement Saturday morning, the Irish rock band and entertainment company LiveNation said they had been “informed by the St. Louis Police Department that they are not in a position to provide the standard protection for our audience as would be expected for an event of this size.”
“In light of this information,” the statement continued, “we cannot in good conscience risk our fans’ safety by proceeding with tonight’s concert. As much as we regret having to cancel, we feel it is the only acceptable course of action in the current environment.”
Friday night’s protests turned tense and sometimes violent as crowds descended on the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. Protests had been ongoing since the announcement Friday morning of a bench ruling acquitting former police officer Jason Stockley in the 2011 killing of Anthony Lamar Smith.
U2 said fans who had purchased tickets to the show will be issued full refunds. The band was scheduled to perform at the Dome at America’s Center, which has the capacity to seat 70,000 people.
