Well, we've been wondering all week whether continuing developments in the Libertine / Doherty saga would affect this weekend's anti-racist mini-festival in London - and the answer is "yes it will". Unite Against Facism yesterday announced they have been forced to cancel this weekend's Unity Festival after The Libertines confirmed they would have to pull out of the event.
As previously reported, the one day Unity Festival was due to take place this Sunday, four days before UK-wide council and European Parliament elections. The free event was designed to raise awareness of the BNP's activities in the pending elections, and to rally support against the racist party.
The event was to be headlined by The Libertines, but their involvement came into question last week when Pete Doherty quit rehab at the London branch of The Priory, headed to France, and wrote on his website "I must away from the cycle of destruction - all gigs are off". Of course Doherty has long had a love hate relationship with fellow frontman Carl Barat, and for a time last year Doherty was dropped from the band. So it wasn't clear if his band would carry on with scheduled gigs without him. However, yesterday the band's management confirmed Doherty would not be able to play on Sunday, and that the rest of the band did not wish to perform without him.
It was the second setback in less than a week for organisers of the Unity Festival. Last Friday they announced that they would not be able to stage the event in London's Finsbury Park because they could not afford to put in place security requirements demanded by local police. The plan was to move the whole event inside and organisers had booked the Hammersmith Apollo, however yesterday the event was officially cancelled.
Confirming the cancellation, a spokesman for Unite Against Facism told reporters: "We would like to sincerely apologise for any arrangements anyone has already made in respect of Sunday 6 June and any inconvenience this reluctant cancellation may cause you. The reason for the cancellation is that the main headline act, The Libertines, have had to pull out of Sunday's show due to the ill health of guitarist Peter Doherty. Until today the band and their management at Creation Poptones still felt that the band would be able to play. Unfortunately, Peter's recovery from illness has not progressed as quickly as everyone expected, and the rest of the band are understandably unwilling to do any show without Peter at this difficult time. Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism send our very best wishes to Peter, his family, and friends and wish him the speediest possible recovery."
A statement from Creation Poptones added: "The Libertines have had to cancel due to Peter [Doherty] being in rehab in France. Peter is making great progress and will be home soon - the band continue to support Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism and will continue to do so, with other gigs in the near future."
Despite the cancellation Unite Against Facism, who staged a successful event in Liverpool last weekend, once again called on young voters to use their vote against BNP candidates, quoting Pete Doherty who, speaking at that fantastic UAF London gig earlier this year, said: "I don't think you have to be a particularly developed human being intellectually or spiritually to despise racism. It may be easy to be complacent, but we need to encourage people to fight racism whether with words or actions. Count me in - I'll fight!".