LaborFest 2020: A free one hour concert by Grup Yorum

Grup Yorum is a folk music group that has been banned by the government of Turkey. They sing songs about freedom, of brotherhood and sisterhood of people, of workers dying on the job, nations, races and genders. For this reason, the Turkish government has declared the music group as a “front for terrorism.”

In this one hour presentation in English, we will discover their music, lyrics, their fight, their resistance, their contribution to the world revolutionary movement.

The group’s concerts have become a social event as tens of thousands flock to see them. Unable to prevent mostly the youth from following and attending their huge concerts, the Turkish government banned all the concerts of Grup Yorum citing “security concerns.”

When the Islamic AKP government was unable to destroy the spirit of these revolutionary musicians, the prosecutors were called into action. The government fabricated charges against the group members. They summoned “witnesses” who hid their names and testified behind curtains and through electronic shields in the court to indict the musicians on terrorism.

The courts were a travesty of justice. The judges had already decided that what the government wanted from them in the way of propaganda had to be delivered, no matter what the truth may be.

The group members did not relent, they made their music, they protested, they resisted with their music and lastly with their bodies and lives.

This free one hour concert event is available Wednesday, July 15 at 7pm.

In order to view this free concert, open this link https://laborfest.net/event/concert-by-grup-yorum-turkey-zoom/ and enjoy commentary, interviews, music and a video on the Grup Yorum.