Van Morrison is planning to launch a lawsuit against regulations that prohibit live music indoors in Northern Ireland due to Covid-19 security concerns.
Sarah Symington, a lawyer with John J. Rice and Co. Solicitors, which is representing Morrison, confirmed that the singer filed a lawsuit on January 12. He filled out a “pre-action protocol letter” with the Department of Health “challenging the general ban on live music [and] giving them 21 days to respond. “
A pre-action protocol letter is not an official filing document, but it does provide both parties with the opportunity to outline a course of action and potentially reach an agreement. Symington said that if the Department of Health does not respond within 21 days, “we will present the proceedings immediately to the High Court”.
A Northern Ireland Department of Health representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As RTE points out, Northern Ireland is in the midst of a six-week Covid-19 blockade that forced the closure of hotels and entertainment venues. Although venues were allowed to open in Northern Ireland at various points during the pandemic, live music was routinely banned.
Another Morrison lawyer, Joe Rice, told RTE that the rules around live music in Northern Ireland were not properly defined, suggesting that there was an ineffective and unfair general ban on everything from bands to soloists. Rice said Morrison planned to argue that the ban is untenable by law and not based on reliable scientific or medical evidence. (Most medical experts insist that large internal meetings, such as concerts, are one of the most effective ways to publicize Covid-19.)
“Many people in the music and arts world in Northern Ireland have been financially, socially and artistically devastated by this total ban,” said Rice. “This differs from the law in England and Wales and the evidence behind such a negative decision in this jurisdiction is far from obvious.” He added that Morrison was acting “on behalf of thousands of musicians, artists, venues and people involved in the live music industry”.
Morrison has been beating the drum against Covid-19’s blocking measures for several months. Last September, he released a trio of anti-lockdown songs, then added a fourth in December with Eric Clapton, “Stand and Deliver”.
After the release of these first three songs, Northern Ireland’s Minister of Health, Robin Swann, wrote an article for Rolling Stone criticizing Morrison, saying that the tracks were not only disappointing but also dangerous. “In fact, it is a stain on everyone involved in the public health response to a virus that claimed lives on a large scale. Your words will give conspiracy theorists great comfort – the pewter-hat brigade that crusades against masks and vaccines and thinks that this is all a major global conspiracy to remove liberties … There are also so many things in the world to sing protest songs like poverty, hunger, injustice, racism, violence, austerity – there is a long list. Instead, he chose to attack attempts to protect the old and vulnerable in our society. “