Kele Okereke, the singer for Bloc Party, was attacked Saturday by Sex Pistols singer John Lydon.

Okereke approached Lydon as a fan, asking about a possible reunion of his post-Sex Pistols band, Public Image Ltd.

Okereke told the Guardian UK that Lydon then became “intimidating and aggressive while his entourage responded with a racist tirade, including the statement, ‘your problem is your black attitude’.” Okereke is of Nigerian descent.

Okereke was left with “severe facial bruising and a split lip” following the assault, but that wasn’t the worst part for him. “It’s not an issue of the physical assault, even though it was an unprovoked attack,” Okereke commented. “It is the fact that race was brought into the matter so readily. Someone as respected and as intelligent as Lydon should know better than to bring race into the equation, or socialise with and encourage those who hold such narrow-minded attitudes.

“I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot.”

Several other bands witness the attack and stepped in on Okereke’s behalf.






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