Cirque du Soleil Cancels North Carolina Shows Over LGBT Law
But the NBA announced its 2017 All-Star game is staying
Cirque du Soleil announced Friday that it will no longer perform in North Carolina over concerns about the state’s new law restricting LGBT protections.
“Cirque du Soleil strongly believes in diversity and equality for every individual and is opposed to discrimination in any form,” says a post on the group’s Facebook page. “The new HB2 legislation passed in North Carolina is an important regression to ensuring human rights for all.” The post announces cancellations of upcoming shows in three different cities in the state.
Cirque du Soleil is just the latest in a growing group of organizations and companies taking business away from the state in the wake of the new legislation. One estimate says the law could cost the state $567 million in lost business, TIME’s Katy Steinmetz reports.
But while the circus is leaving, Friday also saw the announcement that basketball is staying. The NBA decided to keep its 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte, NC. “It would be easy to say we’re moving it,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, CNN reports. “We feel there’s a constructive role for the league to play. If we announce we’re moving it now, what’s the incentive to change the law?”
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