"some music was meant to stay underground..."

Headline News

Behemoth Frontman Nergal's Blasphemy Case Dismissed

posted Jun 28, 2010 at 5:59 PM by Diamond Oz.  (46 Comments)

Photo of Behemoth

Band Photo: Behemoth (?)

The District Court for Gdynia has dismissed the investigation against Behemoth frontman Adam Darski (pseudonym/nickname Nergal) accused of an offence against religious feelings (sec. 196 of polish Criminal Code). The case was filed against Darski after a tore up a bible on stage at a Behemoth concert in September 2007.

During the preparatory proceedings the defender filled the application, which was entirely accepted by the Court. The defendant’s behaviour wasn’t recognised as a crime. Moreover the Court acknowledged no causal connection/cause-and-effect relationship between Adam Darski’s behaviour and the consequence in a form of outrage of religious emotions.

What's Next?

Please share this article if you found it interesting.

You can get related band news and info in the sidebar and on the respective band pages.

46 Comments on "Behemoth Frontman's Case Dismissed"

Post your comments and discuss the article below! (no login required)

hellrat's avatar

Member

1. hellrat writes:

good job Polska...perhaps this whole farce will prompt a reevalution of such archaic statutes there

though still think tearing up bibles to be rather cliche form of 'rebel expression'....but whatever

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:05 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

2. Diamond Oz writes:

As cliche as it seems, it was obviously an effective action if he got taken to court over it. Bibles get ripped up on a daily basis here, often for weed paper, so the idea of tearing up a bible for shock value seems kind of lame in comparison, but it's another country with other values, so I'm sure he knew what he was doing. The funny thing is it's nothing compared to the blasphemy charge that was brought against Gorgoroth a few years back.

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:09 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
3. Thomás writes:

We must vanish the Hitler domain on Germany. Stupid law.

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:19 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hellrat's avatar

Member

4. hellrat writes:

also in polska, yeah Oz?

i seem to remember that...what happened?

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:21 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

5. Diamond Oz writes:

Yeah. Gorgoroth did a show in Poland in 2004 (I forget the name of the town/city but it was where Pope John Paul II was from) that featured naked models on crosses, decapitated sheep heads and other such imagery. The band was charged with blasphemy but were eventually let off because they were foreign and unaware of the law. The concert was filmed for a live DVD but it took years to release because Polish authorities seized the footage. The promoter however, did go to prison for allowing a blasphemous concert.

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:30 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Trendkill91's avatar

Member

6. Trendkill91 writes:

Good to see it went his way.
Everyone is ganna have a different opinion on this matter.
I happen to not believe in any form of religion although I can understand why people got upset over it.

Case closed, didn't do anything wrong. Wahhooo

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:41 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
7. BehemothSoldier617 writes:

The Gorgoroth show was in Krakow.

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:46 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hellrat's avatar

Member

8. hellrat writes:

jeez....what a deal

god, i figured a country with such laws limiting free speech to be hardly the type to make exception for 'ignorantia juris non exusat'...but i guess it is in their best interent to make an effort at maintaining int'l diplomacy, eh?

the poles convicting and sentencing the gorgons probably wouldn't sit to well with the norsk in principle....but their government probably wouldn't mind being rid of them kooky dudes for a while anyway ;)

gaal at least is a convicted criminal there

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 6:47 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
metalfan653's avatar

Member

9. metalfan653 writes:

Glad it turned out this way, don't know what wouldve happened if he was put in jail for a number of years.

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 8:34 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Trendkill91's avatar

Member

10. Trendkill91 writes:

^ He'd probabley turn christain and play flute in the prison band lol.

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 8:45 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
metalheaddrummer101's avatar

Member

11. metalheaddrummer101 writes:

well, the charge was insulting the Roman Catholic Church, so that's pretty insulting to have your holy book ripped up...
N.P-Behemoth-Christgrinding Avenue

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 10:41 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hellrat's avatar

Member

12. hellrat writes:

hey, i'm starting to get a feeling....are we gonna have us another 300 over this same sh** fellers and gals??

where the heck is Eli at?

:)

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 10:50 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Necrovomit's avatar

Member

13. Necrovomit writes:

they said the same about O.j. !!!! lol

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 11:02 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
metalfan653's avatar

Member

14. metalfan653 writes:

@Post 10... -shudders-

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 11:25 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
15. thedudeabides writes:

awesome, glad he got it dismissed so they can still make music

# Jun 28, 2010 @ 11:39 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
16. RTB writes:

I see behemoth fans woo hooing, high fiveing, pattin each other on the azz, and running around with horns up in the air acting like they just won the stanley cup...
Kinda like when blacks went into a tizzy when OJ was not guilty thinking they had just won something......
I dont think they really had a case against him so thats why it was dropped...but tearing up a book or any piece of literature is not art, and completly idiotic and balless

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 3:17 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
17. Apuleius Platonicus writes:

This is good news. But:
(1) The law itself (Article 196 of the Polish Criminal Code) is still on the books and has not even been directly challenged.
(2) Nergal's defense was based not on the right to say whatever he wants about the Catholic Church, but only on the "artistic freedom". In other words, if someone who is not an "artist" said and did the same thing, it would be a completely different story.
(3) At least one other case (that of Nergal's fiance, Doda) is still ongoing.
(4) The prosecutor will appeal the dismissal.

It is a great victory that Nergal is still a free man. But until the law itself is changed no one in Poland is really free to speak their mind.

Background on the whole scope of freedom of speech issues in Poland can be found here:
http://egregores.blogspot.com/2010/05/sex-religion-art-music-freedom-of.html

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 7:34 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

18. Diamond Oz writes:

As I said before, in the USA or Britain, tearing up a bible to try and make a point does seems weak and lame, but doing it in a country that is that protective of Christianity is more of an effective statement. The idea of defacing a bible to seem rebellious seems stupid to us because we're used to outspoken atheists such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins debunking religion in a much more intelligent fashion and we don't have laws that prohibit us from "insulting religious feelings," though there are laws of a similar nature in the UK that are there to basically ensure the protection of other faiths, but that's for another time. The point being that the simplest, and even dumbest of actions, can still be a bold statement.

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 8:45 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
19. creepindeth_inc writes:

As odd a crime/charge as it was, one has to understand the background of religion in Poland to understand the blasphemey charge. Look what religious intolerance did in Poland just 60-odd years ago... I know, a bit of a stretch, but it kind of makes sense.

Am still glad to hear the case was dropped, though.

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 8:49 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
20. the messenger writes:

LOL...i'm here, rat....i must say - i actually agree with your first comment - ripping Bibles is cliché indeed. Though i must say i disagree with post 10 and 11. Nergal could convert and still remain a metalhead and the Bible is not a roman catholic book - heck, they don't even follow it. Maybe i should change my name to Eli just to please my favorite rat from hell ;-)

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 8:54 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
21. bleak46n2 writes:

imagine if he had torn the quran, the muslims would've bombed their next gig...

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 9:51 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hater_guy's avatar

Member

22. hater_guy writes:

I wonder if they would have made him swear to under oath with right hand on the holy bible, lol.

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 12:01 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
AGENT47's avatar

Member

23. AGENT47 writes:

^ lmao ^

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 3:04 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Dasher10's avatar

Writer/Reviewer

24. Dasher10 writes:

W00T! Freedom of speech FTW.

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 5:14 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
25. Greyback writes:

Nice.... Who cares about them crazy religious people anyway? Do what you want as long as it doesn't harm anybody. That's not harm, jsut some paper with poisoned ink on it. But this my respectful opinion so there.

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 5:56 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hellrat's avatar

Member

26. hellrat writes:

holy smokes! regardless of which moniker you choose messenger man, you will always be good ol' Eli to me brother :)

\m/

# Jun 29, 2010 @ 10:06 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xDecapitation's avatar

Member

27. xDecapitation writes:

HAHA! That was hilarious, all he did was rip a book full of lies!

BEHEMOTH!

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 1:13 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
metalheaddrummer101's avatar

Member

28. metalheaddrummer101 writes:

Bleak-the Catholics might've burned him at the stake...you never know...some of the religious right in the west are just as fvcked up as the ones in the middle east...

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 1:53 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
29. bleak46n2 writes:

^ true that... so much for people having their own opinions...

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 5:06 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
n0thinghead's avatar

Member

30. n0thinghead writes:

retardedid law. good for him. go nergal!! freedom of speech FTW!! (LOL @ dasher's #24 post)

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 9:27 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
666hz's avatar

Member

31. 666hz writes:

About time!

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 3:45 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Valentine_no_more's avatar

Supporter

32. Valentine_no_more writes:

If he hates god...he hates god.

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 3:58 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
33. Anonymous writes:

People can honestly hear blasphemy in pig squeals and cookie monster vocals?

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 6:42 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Rubyred's avatar

Member

34. Rubyred writes:

I have a love and hate emotions with BEHEMOTH at times...'howbeit it's mostly "love" cause I like them: "hate" is to strong a word/I wouldn't say hate them/that's cruel...'maybe get mad at them sometimes but not all the time. BEHEMOTH are "complex" to me they can really rattle your mind especially if your a Spiritual person (believe in God, Christ the Lord...'which I do) and even if you aren't they still rattle your senses and at times can be quite frightening. smile. Anyway, it's pretty serious charges/situration that Frontman/Leader NERGAL of BEHEMOTH was facing - and although is shocking of the Bible tearing incident/which was built up anger/frustration due to his/Nergal own beliefs that he got into trouble with the Law of POLAND. I'm happy/thrilled to hear that the charges were dismissed...'and Nergal and his band are cleared from this matter." This is a heavy Topic.

# Jun 30, 2010 @ 8:57 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Trendkill91's avatar

Member

35. Trendkill91 writes:

^ If Behemoth makes you sad or angry, then why listen to them?

Did the tearing of the bible affend you by any chance?
I'm honestly not being a jerk , Im just pretty curious ya know?

# Jul 1, 2010 @ 12:05 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
fourth_horseman's avatar

Member

36. fourth_horseman writes:

I like these guys music but ripping up the bible just for the reaction he gets is a bit out of order. I really don't see how they can throw this case out when he did it in front of EVERYONE

# Jul 1, 2010 @ 2:59 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Chupacabra_hunter's avatar

Supporter

37. Chupacabra_hunter writes:

going to a Behemoth show and seeing blasphemy is like going to a strip club and seeing naked girls..you know its gonna happen! If that offends you then don't go .

# Jul 1, 2010 @ 7:35 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
38. the messenger writes:

post 34 - i am happy to hear that you are a believer - esp. in our times knowing that being a true christian is an 'UNpopular' thing to be. Welcome to the minority !! (Matt.7:13,14). Though i agree with post 33 - the actual lyrics are hidden within the godzilla-like vocals............

Nevertheless, as a believer it would be wiser to avoid such bands KNOWING the content (2 Corinthians 6:14,15).
There are other bands that can fill the void :-)

# Jul 1, 2010 @ 8:47 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
39. TestAmenT Lover ^^ writes:

As a christian myself I enjoy Behemoths crazy music... they got a lot of talent.. even thou i disagree or dont care about their lyrics..

when i heard about them ripping up the Bible at a gig.. it was perfectly normal...
they Want to be controversial and thats what they do..
same idea behind Nergal dating polish popstar- Doda... free publicity ;)

# Jul 1, 2010 @ 10:31 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Rubyred's avatar

Member

40. Rubyred writes:

In response to comment 35, no offense taken: personally to me tearing up the Bible is offensive but I don't "hate" the person/Mr. Nergal (his a trip) that tore it up but the deed of doing such a thing. But it's his right/Nergal own personal feelings...'And it's my right to voice my thoughts! And listern to whom I wish to listern to rather extreme or not: even though BEHEMOTH maddens me sometimes/not often 'cause I do expect them to do someting in the reverse "rattle the mind" of many Spiritual believers. And #39 "thank-you" for being in my defense/understanding me. Peace and Godbless. And I "care" about BEHEMOTH Nergal, Inferno, Orion & Set alot body, Spirit and Soul: they are amazing men/musicians with and without that frightening make-up.

# Jul 1, 2010 @ 6:59 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xulbehemoth509's avatar

Member

41. xulbehemoth509 writes:

Poland is strict Roman Catholic and blasphemy of any such act is punishable of a minimum sentence of 2yrs. Adam tears the bible up for pure self expression not rebellion, I've talked to him about that during summer slaughter

# Jul 8, 2010 @ 3:22 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Trendkill91's avatar

Member

42. Trendkill91 writes:

I also met him on the Australia JFAC/Behemoth tour.
All around cool guy,
He didn't seem to worried about the punishment.

# Jul 8, 2010 @ 5:30 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Valentine_no_more's avatar

Supporter

43. Valentine_no_more writes:

haha...christians listening to satanic metal...hehe.

# Jul 8, 2010 @ 6:35 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xulbehemoth509's avatar

Member

44. xulbehemoth509 writes:

Yea he was very mellow even when we were drinking

# Jul 8, 2010 @ 7:12 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
45. RK writes:

So how many poles did it take to lock up metal musician? Im justa keedin lighten up. I think you hit it on the head with those religous laws you gotta understand since the 40's until like the late 80's poland was under communist rule hence the warsaw pact so i can these guys defending religon in a way. But im glad Adam didn't get locked for something small like that and i have yet to watch that amazing gorgoroth footage.

# Jul 11, 2010 @ 10:26 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
46. silvergenie writes:

uite a few xtians commit more horrible crimes that I would never think of doing. Like the higher up ones: priests sunday school teachers pastors bishops and all of the popes who tried to hide it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# Jul 18, 2010 @ 7:11 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address

To minimize comment spam/abuse, you cannot post comments on articles over a month old. Please check the sidebar to the right or the related band pages for recent related news articles.