Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
After being fined by Italian authorities, Ukrainian blackened death metal band 1914 has spoken out, calling the incident “very unpleasant” despite an otherwise good debut performance in Italy, as per MetalInjection. The band reflected on a tumultuous finish to their time in Italy in a note sent to fans, noting that things took a turn when they tried to leave the country after the performance. The band claims that while they were leaving Italy, the financial police stopped them and thoroughly examined them. According to reports, the band’s cash donations to the Ukrainian army during their trip were the main source of contention.
The band describes the episode as unusual in their touring experience and claims that despite consulting legal counsel and making clear the intended use of the monies, attempts to address the matter immediately were unsuccessful. The band expressed resentment at the €4,800 fine imposed by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza in their final statement.
Despite the fact that our first show in Italy yesterday was great and full of wonderful moments and meetings, we ended up in a very unpleasant situation.
On our way out of Italy, we were stopped by the financial police (no, no, it had nothing to do with our Ukrainian license plates) and checked as if we were some kind of criminal elite.
We were carrying cash donations for the army – funds we collect during the tour. And this didn’t sit well with the officers, because the cash was kept together in one box.
Even though we did not exceed the declaration limits per person and did not break any laws, the Italian Guardia di Finanza saw it differently and fined both us and the donation funds.
This is the first time we’ve ever encountered something like this. We explained what the money was for and what we were doing – it didn’t matter. We called a lawyer, but that didn’t help much either. Even explaining that this money was meant for drones, medical supplies, or a vehicle made no difference.
We hope that the €4,800 taken from us by the Guardia di Finanza will help them continue their work confidently and feel satisfied. But i want you to know – your people completely f’cing wrong.
Thank you to everyone in Italy who supported us, helped us, and donated.
See you on October!
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