China bans Selena Gomez for photo with His Holiness

DHARAMSALA, Apr 20: American singer – actress Selena Gomez has become the latest celebrity to be banned from china for associating with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

A picture of Gomez with His Holiness, posted on her instagram page, taken in Vancouver two years ago at We Day, a youth empowerment project that takes places in cities around the world, is believed to have transpired her ban.

This prompted the American singer and actress to quietly pull out her Guangzhou and Shanghai tour dates from her website; it is suspected that it had something to do with the Chinese government.

Although the claims are currently unsubstantiated by the Chinese government and Gomez’s team, the said picture that has offended Beijing has been removed from her instagram page.

A similar incident was reported last year, involving two popular American rock bands, Maroon 5 and Bon Jovi.

Maroon 5’s concerts in Shanghai and Beijing were reportedly cancelled in 2015 after band member Jesse Carmichael sent the spiritual leader a birthday message on Twitter. Similarly, Bon Jovi’s concert was cancelled last year because they reportedly used a picture of His Holiness during a concert in Taiwan back in 2010.

Gomez is the latest in a long list of celebrities banned from china for their association with His Holiness, voicing their concern and expressing support for Tibet.

The list includes Richard Gere, who was banned for his involvement in the Free Tibet movement; the actor faces a lifetime ban from entering the People’s Republic of China.

Brad Pitt was banned from china for starring in the film ‘Seven Years in Tibet’.

Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk was banned for chanting ‘Free Tibet’ during a concert in Shanghai in 2008.

Hollywood actor Harrison Ford was banned from China after testifying at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in support of an independent Tibet.

Noted film maker Martin Scorsese also faces ban because of his film titled ‘Kundun’ in 1997.