Sting stops concert to warn of global threat to democracy

Warsaw 30th July, 2022
Before we end this concert this evening, I want to say a few words. Here's what I want to say: Democracy is under attack. It's under attack in every country in the world. It is in grave danger of being lost unless we defend it. If democracy is missing, democracy is frustrating. Democracy is often inefficient. It needs constant attention, constant adjustment. But it is still worth fighting before. Because the alternative to democracy is a nightmare. The alternative to democracy is a prison. A prison of the mind. The alternative to democracy is violence, oppression, imprisonment and silence. That alternative is called tyranny. All tyranny is based on a lie. The greater the tyranny the bigger the lie. The tyrant lies to his country, he lies to the world, and most of all he lies to himself. Disagree with the tyrant means imprisonment, torture and death. Yet that is what we must do. We must take that risk and defend our right to speak the truth. Our minds will not be imprisoned. We must defend the freedom to be ourselves, in our minds and our bodies. The truth must be heard, and we must not lose this battle.