China has banned pop idol Justin Bieber from performing on the mainland because of his “bad behavior” on and off the stage.
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture said the ban was necessary to “purify” the country’s entertainment industry but suggested it was not permanent, expressing the hope that Bieber might improve his behavior and earn back the love of his fans. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter has had run-ins with the law over alleged drunk driving and drag racing.
Compared to British alternative rock band Placebo, Bieber was the lucky one. The group has had to cancel its gig at the Summer Sonic Festival in Shanghai in September and faces a lifetime ban from performing in China after posting a picture of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, on the band’s official Instagram page. China considers the Nobel Peace Prize-winning monk a dangerous separatist.
The temporary Bieber ban emerged after someone posted a question on the Beijing culture bureau’s website last weekend asking why the Canadian singer was not allowed to perform in mainland China as part of his Asia tour in September. The tour, to promote his latest album, “Purpose,” takes in Tokyo, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore.