Bloc Party singer Kele Okereke was left with severe facial bruising and a split lip following an alleged racist attack by Sex Pistols singer John Lydon. The incident occurred on Saturday evening at the Summercase festival in Barcelona, with one witness claiming Lydon's entourage behaved like "a gang of racist thugs".
In an official statement released by the Okereke, who is of Nigerian descent, the singer says he approached Lydon backstage and asked him about the possibility of a reunion for Public Image Ltd, the band Lydon formed following the Sex Pistols demise in 1978. In Okereke's words, Lydon became "intimidating and aggressive while his entourage responded with a racist tirade, including the statement, 'your problem is your black attitude'." An assault allegedly ensued in which three people attacked Okereke.
Several other bands witnessed the incident, with Foals' singer Yannis Philippakis and Kaiser Chiefs singer Ricky Wilson intervening on the Bloc Party singer's behalf. "It's not an issue of the physical assault, even though it was an unprovoked attack," said Okereke. "It is the fact that race was brought into the matter so readily. Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialise with and encourage those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes." He added: "I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot." The incident has since been reported to the police in Spain and the UK.
No comment has been offered by Lydon and calls to his press officer were not returned. Guardian/Music has contacted those bands said to have witnessed the incident and is awaiting their version of events.