VOLUNTEERS DETAINED AT U2 SHOW IN MOSCOW; U2 GETS FINED FOR NOISE LEVELS

Friday, August 27 2010 05:13

Several Greenpeace and Amnesty International volunteers were detained by police outside of U2's first-ever concert in Russia on Wednesday night (August 25th). The BBC reports that members of the organizations were detained after handing out leaflets outside the Moscow gig. A police spokeswoman said they didn't have permission, but Amnesty International head, Sergei Nikitin, said U2 management had assured them all the necessary permits were in place. Frontman Bono made no mention of the incident on stage.

The volunteers were released after a few hours. The activists asked people to sign petitions, calling for authorities to bring to justice the people responsible for the murders of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and rights activist Natalya Estemirova.

In other news, U2 was was about $22,000 this week for playing too loudly and for too long in Barcelona, Spain last year. According to the Associated Press, the band reportedly rehearsed two hours longer than expected and did it at sound levels above those set by authorities prior to a concert in June 2009.

U2 has been working on a new album.