JAKARTA, Indonesia— A Nazi-themed music video supporting a candidate in next month’s Indonesian presidential election is causing outrage at home and abroad.
The video, “Indonesia Bangkit,” or “Awakening Indonesia,” is based on Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” It shows musician Ahmad Dhani wearing a fascist-style uniform and holding an Indonesian Garuda bird emblem that resembles the Nazis’ imperial eagle.
According to the German news magazine Der Spiegel, the military costume is similar to the uniform worn by SS commander Heinrich Himmler.
The video was uploaded on YouTube on June 19 as a campaign song for Prabowo Subianto, a former general who has been accused of abducting pro-democracy activists in 1998.
Brian May, Queen’s lead guitarist, has waded into the controversy, saying “of course this is completely unauthorized by us.”