Protests Put an End to Chris Brown’s Guyana Gig  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Just over a month ago, Guyanese bloggers were voicing their displeasure over talk of a Chris Brown concert in the country's capital city that was allegedly being supported by the government. Much of the controversy was linked to the singer's 2009 assault of then-girlfriend, Barbadian-born singer Rihanna and the message that his notoriety could send in a country with a high incidence of domestic violence.
Chris Brown in concert, image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
It now appears as if their concern has been registered: two Guyanese bloggers are reporting that the Chris Brown concert has been cancelled. A few days ago, Guyana-Gyal said:
I read it online last night, Chris Brown cancel he show here because o’ protests against what he do to Rihanna in '09.
She went on to explain that “the protests send a strong and sad message about domestic violence here”, but wondered whether the message was reaching those who needed to hear it the most:
The men and the women who need the help most, the ones who need therapy, they gon hear?
And what about political violence, when women get beat-up then, in me lovely native land, and women groups stay silent? What kinda message that is sending out?
Yesterday, livingguyana confirmed reports of the show's cancellation by quoting an article in the Huffington Post:
Organizers say American R&B star Chris Brown has canceled a stadium concert in Guyana after local protests over his 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna.
Brown was billed to headline a Dec. 26 show. But he drew the ire of women's rights groups and opposition lawmakers who said Brown would not be welcome in Guyana three years after his assault of Barbadian superstar Rihanna.
Concert promoter Hits & Jams Entertainment said Thursday that Brown backed out, citing discomfort with the protests.
Reactions were coming in on Twitter under the hashtags #chrisbrown #guyana, with one user, @beckyrachael posting a photo of a news item related to the concert's cancellation – the headline reads:
Guyanese women send Chris Brown a message: Don't come here – Rihanna might forgive, but Guyana doesn't.