Oakland venue cancels heavy metal show at request of police

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A concert by a heavy metal band from Sweden was canceled Saturday night over concerns from Oakland police that the group would draw anti-fascist protesters.

The group Marduk was supposed to play at the Oakland Metro Opera House near Jack London Square.

Police say the band has been criticized for glorifying Nazi imagery and anti-Semitism.

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Opera house staff disagrees but complied with a request from Oakland police to cancel the performance.

In a letter to the venue, police said that "based on the riot that occurred in Berkeley in regards to Milo Yiannopolous speaking at the university it is reasonable to believe that there would be a threat to public safety if these groups showed up to protest Marduk."