‘Satanic’ rocker ‘heals’ wheelchair-bound guitarists

Nergal; photo - behemoth.pl

The director of the public television network TVP has already condemned the stunt.

The latest incident - preceded by a long-running legal case concerning the tearing up of a bible on stage - took place in a Warsaw club on 1 October, at a concert by ‘cod’ heavy metal band Times New Roman.

Footage published across the Polish media yesterday showed members of Times New Roman on stage in wheelchairs. The musicians were attended by nurses and dressed in pajamas. Following an announcement that the men could not play, Darski, aka Nergal, appeared dressed as a priest. After blessing the musicians, the men rose from their wheelchairs and the concert.

The footage prompted a swift response from the chairman of TVP, the public broadcasting network that is already under fire for employing Darski in the talent-finding show “Voice of Poland”.

In a freshly released statement, Chairman Juliusz Braun described the incident as “provocative behaviour, showing a lack of respect not only for religious beliefs, but also for illnesses and the disabled.”

Braun has also asked Darski and the producer of “Voice of Poland” to explain themselves

Last month, following outcry from some sections of the Church and parliament, Poland's National Broadcasting Council was compelled to take a decision regarding whether the employment of Darski did not offend religious feelings.

After examining footage from the series – due to be screened in November – they concluded that the musician's behaviour in the show itself was acceptable.

However, this week's incident has created further embarrassment for TVP.

Darski is himself recovering from leukemia, and recently underwent a bone marrow transplant. (nh/pg)




Source: PAP