Radiohead Fans Assaulted in Istanbul During 'A Moon Shaped Pool' Celebration

Today marked the worldwide release of Radiohead’s ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool, and the band planned events in record stores around the globe to celebrate. Unfortunately, a gathering at one music shop in Istanbul, Turkey took a turn for the worst when unidentified men arrived and assaulted those in attendance. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in the midst of Ramadan—a major taboo—sparked the regrettable behavior.

Ramadan, a Muslim holiday that began June 5 and concludes next month, is often associated with fasting—one of Islam’s five pillars—and prayers for the less fortunate—charitable donations tend to increase during this time. The traditional view of those who practice Islam is that to fast is to abstain from vices (sex, cigarettes, etc.). Therein lies the point of contention. With that said, violent acts are considered especially egregious during this time. The lose-lose situation robbed music of another peaceful evening. Thankfully, no one suffered serious injuries. Given recent headlines, one can only feel grateful that altercations didn’t escalate further.

After news of the unfortunate incident spread, the members of Radiohead expressed frustration through their publicist, as Pitchfork reports: “Our hearts go out to those attacked tonight at Velvet IndieGround in Istanbul. We hope that someday we will be able to look back on such acts of violent intolerance as things of the ancient past. For now, we can only offer our fans in Istanbul our love and support.”

Watch amateur footage captured at the scene of the needless crime below. A picture of the Turkish record store is also embedded, along with a Facebook post that followed the conflict.

Image via VinylHub