In the wake of Friday’s Parisian terror attacks, which killed more than 120 people, U2 frontman Bono addressed the significance of a bulk of the violence taking place at a rock concert, calling it the first “direct hit on music.”
“Our first thoughts at this point are with the Eagles of Death Metal fans,” Bono said. “If you think about it, the majority of victims last night are music fans. This is the first direct hit on music that we’ve had in this so-called War on Terror, or whatever it’s called. It’s very upsetting.”
The September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon killed 2,977 people. The U.S. Department of Defense claims 59,146 military casualties in the global war on terror as of November, 2015. Newsweek reported that according to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, 32,727 people were killed in 13,463 terrorist attacks in 2014 alone.
During a radio interview Saturday, Bono explained it was not his band’s decision to cancel the show.
The tragic series of events unfolded in the French capital, killing roughly 120 people and wounding an estimated 350 more. The act of terror prompted the cancelation of U2’s Saturday concert, in addition to several other events. “Our security locked it down pretty quickly and we got our team and our crew out of there safely,” Bono said. “We came to the back door of the hotel. Everyone congregated and watched the TV like everybody else in disbelief with what was happening. We’re all safe.”
“We didn’t call it off,” Bono explained. “It was canceled, honest, and I understand perfectly why … It’s up to the French authorities and the city to decide when we can go back.”
The massacre began around 9:50 p.m. on Friday while American rock group Eagles of Death Metal were performing at a Paris nightclub.
He added:
These are our people. This could be me at a show, you at a show, in that venue. It’s a very recognizable situation for you and for me and the cold blooded aspect of this slaughter is deeply disturbing and that’s what I can’t get out of my head.
Music is very important…I think U2 has a role to play and I can’t wait till we get back to Paris and play and that’s what I’m feeling from the messages we’re receiving from music fans is these people will not set our agenda. They will not organize our lives for us.