Coldplay and Mumford and Sons were among the performers at an Amnesty International concert organized in defence of freedom of expression. The show marked the first time that the ‘Secret Policeman’s Ball’-organised by Amnesty International since 1976-was held in the United States. Television comedian Jon Stewart was among the performers, sharing the stage with a fake Kim Jong-Un, who wanted to dominate the stage at all cost. Actor Ben Stiller and Briton David Walliams had fun comparing the meaning of different English words on both sides of the Atlantic. Other participants included Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, Sarah Silverman and Reggie Watts, whose performances were funny and often politically incorrect. Actor and director Maung Thura Zarganar of Myanmar introduced a serious note to the show, recalling the importance of freedom of expression. Released from prison last year, he talked about several years spent in prison, where he was sent by the local military junta “just for making jokes”. Mumford and Sons sang several of its hits, including ‘Roll Away Your Stone’ and ‘Little Lion Man,’ while the inexhaustible Coldplay finished the concert in a flurry of confetti.
Coldplay performs to defend freedom of expression
