In Las Vegas, Bono remembered the late Putin critic.
U2 remembered the late Alexei Navalny at their concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas. “Next week it will be two years since Putin invaded Ukraine,” Bono told the audience. “For this people, freedom is not just a word in a song. For these people, freedom is the most important thing in the world.”
And further: “So important that Ukrainians fight and die for it. And so important that Alexei Navalny decided to give his life for it. Apparently Putin would never, ever speak his name. So I thought that tonight, people who believe in freedom need to speak his name. Not just as a reminder, but to say it: Alexei Navalny!” Bono then holds the microphone towards the audience – and the audience shouts the name of Putin’s opponent.
The video, posted around Sunday afternoon (February 18, 2024), had already collected tens of thousands of likes and reposts by the evening.
Reactions to Navalny’s death
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck reacted with dismay to Navalny’s death. “Nawalny’s death shakes me to the core,” said the Green Economy and Climate Protection Minister on Friday. “The Putin regime has him on his conscience.”
Habeck said Navalny lost his life in his commitment to a better Russia. “He was a patriot who stood up for democracy and the rule of law and loved his country and the people there. More than his own life.” Despite the danger to his life, he returned to Russia, said the minister. Habeck’s thoughts are with Navalny’s wife and everyone who, like Navalny, “fights for a free Russia.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) described the alleged death of the Russian opposition politician as “depressing” and “terrible”. It was very brave that Navalny went back to Russia. Now he has “paid for this courage with his life,” said Scholz in Berlin. We know exactly what kind of regime is in power in Moscow. Russia is “no longer a democracy,” said Scholz. “We are very sad, we are with the family, the wife and the child, and all the relatives and friends.”