Backlash over Chris Brown's upcoming South Africa concert explored as petition to ban him from performing receives over 20,000 signatures

A women's rights group has created a petition on change.org to ban Chris Brown from performing at his upcoming concerts in South Africa. The development, first reported by BBC on Sunday, October 13, 2024, is an effort by Women for Change, a women and children advocacy group based in SA. The petition, with #MUTECHRISBROWN, has garnered over 26,000 signatures as of this article's writing.

The shows in question were part of the R&B singer's Breezy in South Africa gig, scheduled for December 14 and 15. According to the organization, Brown has a history of domestic violence, including the 2009 conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna.

Stating that the show will be held just days after the world will celebrate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (a campaign by the UN), a statement shared on the group's website reads:

"Chris Brown’s history of violence against women, including his 2009 arrest for assaulting Rihanna, stands in stark contrast to the values of this global Anti-GBV campaign, especially in a country where femicide is five times higher than the worldwide average. Hosting Chris Brown sends a harmful message to survivors of abuse and undermines the progress we are trying to make in addressing GBV in South Africa."

The petition by Women for Change (Image via change.org)

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Chris Brown's concert was reportedly sold out less than two hours after tickets went on sale

Per BBC, the Grammy-winning R&B artist's show, scheduled for December at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, was sold out in less than two hours. The stadium is the largest in Africa, with over 94,000 seats. The demand was so high that a second show was added.

Talking to the publication, Sabina Walter, executive director of Women for Change, expressed her shock and disappointment. Noting that the country has one of the highest rates of femicide and gender-based violence (GBV), she remarked:

"The petition was started to send a strong message that we will not tolerate the celebration of individuals with a history of violence against women. When someone like Chris Brown is given a platform in a country where GBV is at crisis levels, it sends a damaging message - that fame and power outweigh accountability."

Brown has a history of abusive behavior. One of the most notable instances is his 2009 domestic dispute involving singer Rihanna. The singer, who was 19 at the time, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years probation, community service, and domestic violence counseling.

Walter also slammed the country's Department of Home Affairs for granting "a convicted abuser" visa. She called the move "concerning and indicative of a systemic failure." South African laws bar individuals with previous convictions from being granted a visa. However, there are exceptions for "good cause," with the Director General of the Department of Home Affairs clearing them.

To be noted, Chris Brown has previously been banned from entering the U.K., Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. However, the Look at Me Now hitmaker has played in the U.K. later.

Per BBC, Walter has received threats due to her campaign against Chris Brown's show.

"The criticism we are facing for our petition speaks volumes and actually reveals a deep disconnect in how we, as a society, view violence against women," she said.

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, the former University of Cape Town vice-chancellor, took to her X to assert she would attend Chris Bown's concert despite standing against GBV, saying they were not "mutually exclusive."

"To suggest that enjoying a concert aligns you with every past action of the artist is, at best, simplistic and, at worst, intellectually dishonest," she tweeted.

The backlash comes as Discovery is set to premiere its documentary, Chris Brown: A History of Violence, later this month. It features the various allegations levied against the R&B singer over the years.

The singer recently wrapped up his 11:11 Tour in support of his album of the same name.

Chris Brown has not publicly reacted to the backlash.