Lithuanian arena cancels American singer LP's concert

VILNIUS – Kaunas Zalgiris Arena announced on Tuesday that it has canceled LP's concert after the American singer posted on social media photos where she was wearing a hoodie decorated with the colors of the Russian flag and said she was missing her fans in Russia.

"Zalgiris Arena is cancelling the concert of US singer LP," the arena posted on Facebook.

LP appeared on social media wearing the hoodie with the Russian flag colors on Monday. She also showed a postcard with the date February 24, the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In the postcard, a fan says that she had kept the gift since 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic prevented her from giving it to the singer. 

The singer later removed the post and uploaded another message.

Mantas Vedrickas, head of event organization at the arena, said in a statement that the arena "has a clear civic and value position – we strongly support Ukraine". 

"Together with the event organizers, we had been clarifying the situation since last night. However, as we announced yesterday on social media, our position remains firm – the concert must be canceled," Vedrickas said. 

"After the facts were confirmed, we have taken a joint decision with Medusa Concert, the event organizers, to cancel the concert. With this decision, we want to draw the attention of both LP and other artists planning events in Lithuania that we will not tolerate messages supporting the aggressor country," he said.

The official said that the arena "regrets the situation", adding that the organizers "are also facing losses".

Medusa Concert CEO Remigijus Knabikas said that the organizers contacted LP's management regarding the singer's "ambiguous video" as soon as it appeared on social media last night. 

"We want to stress that (...) Medusa Concert strongly condemns Russian aggression and has always supported, is supporting, and will support Ukraine," Knabikas said.

"All the employees of our agency, just like the entire Lithuania, wholeheartedly stand with the war-torn country and its heroes, so the video that has spread on the Internet has confused and angered us as much as it has other people in Lithuania," he said.

The organizers said they will publish information on ticket refunds shortly.