News
Insulting Buddha
A New Zealand bar manager is due to appear in a Burma court after he was arrested for allegedly insulting religion by using an image of the Buddha wearing headphones in a promotion.
The promotional poster appeared on the bar’s Facebook page and immediately sparked outrage on social media in the predominantly Buddhist nation, which has seen a surge in religious nationalism in recent months.
General manager Philip Blackwood, 32, owner Tun Thurein, 40, and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, were detained for police questioning and the bar was shuttered after a complaint by an official from Myanmar’s Religious Department, police said.
The posting for the newly opened V Gastro bar, a tapas restaurant and nightclub in a Yangon embassy area, showed a psychedelic mock-up of the Buddha wearing DJ headphones to trail a cheap drinks night.
“According to Mr Philip’s statement, they were trying to promote the bar. Buddha grabs people’s interest… however Buddhists cannot accept it. This insults the religion. So we opened the case under the Religion Act. We will file a lawsuit" said a police officer.
The promotional poster appeared on the bar’s Facebook page and immediately sparked outrage on social media in the predominantly Buddhist nation, which has seen a surge in religious nationalism in recent months.
General manager Philip Blackwood, 32, owner Tun Thurein, 40, and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, were detained for police questioning and the bar was shuttered after a complaint by an official from Myanmar’s Religious Department, police said.
The posting for the newly opened V Gastro bar, a tapas restaurant and nightclub in a Yangon embassy area, showed a psychedelic mock-up of the Buddha wearing DJ headphones to trail a cheap drinks night.
“According to Mr Philip’s statement, they were trying to promote the bar. Buddha grabs people’s interest… however Buddhists cannot accept it. This insults the religion. So we opened the case under the Religion Act. We will file a lawsuit" said a police officer.