Rammstein’s Till Lindemann Reportedly Arrested in Russia
Rammstein singer Till Lindemann has reportedly been arrested in Russia and it is believed his agent, Anar Reiband, also was detained by police.
Sputnik News, a state-owned media outlet, reported that Lindemann was scheduled to perform as the Maklarin For Homeland Festival in the Russian city of Tver on Sunday (Aug. 29) and, one day earlier, the singer received a letter from the Russian consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor which warned him against performing as the event would have violated the COVID-19 protocols concerning mass gatherings.
Gathering are limited to a maximum of 500 participants, which includes not only fans in attendance, but musicians, crew and other staff. The fest was expected to draw a crowd of 6,000.
The letter also asked Lindemann to instead perform in a smaller concert environment and, on Sunday, as reported by Summa Inferno, the 58-year-old singer was apprehended in his hotel by police and brought to a police station for further questioning. The news outlet also provided photos of Lindemann surrounded by authorities while being questioned.
Reiband, meanwhile, is suspected of having falsified his intentions for entering Russia, having obtained a tourist visa despite allegedly being one of the organizers of the festival. He risks deportation from Russia and a ban on re-entry into the country.
Neither Rammstein nor Lindemann have released any official comment regarding the singer's detainment.
Lindemann also came under scrutiny in Russia earlier in August for exclusive NFTs being sold which included photographs of the singer at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, where he shot a music video for the song "Beloved Town."
The museum claims Lindemann was not authorized to sell these NFTs as this was not part of the agreement the two sides reached when given permission to film the video at the museum.
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