Pearl Jam cancels North Carolina show to protest 'despicable piece of legislation'

SEATTLE – Pearl Jam announced Monday that it’s cancelling a concert Wednesday in North Carolina in protest of the state’s new LGBT law.

“The HB2 law that was recently passed is a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens,” the band wrote in a letter posted on Twitter.



North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory recently signed the bill, called the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, after it was passed by the North Carolina Senate.

The law was in response to Charlotte’s nondiscrimination ordinance that allowed transgender individuals to use public bathrooms of the sex with which they identify.

The bill blocks transgender individuals from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity and stops cities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances to protect gay and transgender people.

The band had been scheduled to play in Raleigh at the PNC Arena.

Bruce Springsteen, Boston and Cirque du Soleil are among other acts to cancel shows in North Carolina because of the new law.

Pearl Jam said it donated money to groups in the area trying to repeal the law.