Sword Beach - Concert Venue

I have just received this from John in Oxford:- I suggested that the UK hold a 'Commemorative re-Invasion' of Sword Beach on the same day

Those of you who don't read the Daily Telegraph or don't live in the UK may like to know that there is a plan by a Dutch company called Liberty Concerts to hold a pop concert, to attract 75,000 people, on Sword Beach in Normandy on D-Day next year. No doubt some other newspapers have also covered this.

This is an appalling idea; grossly disrespectful to those brave troops who died on that beach on 6th Jun 1944, and will have a detrimental effect on various commemorative ceremonies in the area on that day. It has already attracted a good deal of opposition; after I learned about it from a posting by Danny Greeno on his Facebook page I wrote to the Telegraph and my letter was published on 20th June. Penny Howard Bates followed this up with one the following day, and on 22nd there was another from Paul Fincham. In addition, there was a news report about the matter on the 20th, and today we learn that Dame Vera Lynn, who was an honorary member of the 'board of recommendation', has withdrawn her backing now she knows what is planned. There has been such an outcry on social media about this proposal that the company has blocked any further comment about it on their Facebook page, but are refusing to abandon the idea.

One of the company's organisers, Michiel Florusse, is to hold a meeting with veterans and families in Portsmouth on 21st July - no doubt we shall learn of the venue in due course. No doubt many of us will make an effort to attend. In the meantime, I am thinking of starting a UK Government and Parliament petition calling on the Government to ask the French to ban this concert on that particular day. As this is an official petition site, at 10,000 signatures the Government will respond; at 100,000 it will be considered for debate in Parliament. Even if we don't reach the lower target, it will attract attention. Details of how these petitions work are at .

Does anyone have any comments on this proposal, such as what form the intro and details should take? Does anyone else want to initiate it? The sooner we get it going, the better.