Madonna Not Facing Charges for Concert Gun Play—but What About the Swastikas?!

Edinburgh's Lothian and Borders Police tell E! News the Material Girl will not face legal issues

By John Boone Jul 25, 2012 8:15 PMTags
MadonnaSamir Hussein/Redferns via Getty Images

In poor taste? Perhaps. But illegal? Hardly.

Reports surfaced that, in the wake of The Dark Knight Rises tragedy, police had pleaded with Madonna to remove choreographed gun play from her MDNA tour, though when she performed at the Murrayfield Stadium gig in Edinburgh, Scotland she brandished her toy pistols and AK-47s per ususal.

But police say she isn't in any legal hot water. As for the swastikas in her show? The Material Girl has some explaining to do.

Edinburgh's Lothian and Borders Police tells E! News that yhey can confirm they met with the promoters of Madonna's concert, as they do with every promoter prior to such an event:

"Media reports which said police had advised her not to include firearms and weapons during her performance were incorrect. In fact the event Commander, Superintendant Craig Naylor, said that the props used by Madonna were no different to the type of props which will be seen at many of the Edinburgh festival venues during the month of August. Therefore no penalties will be faced."

But while all is well on the Scottish front, the same might not go for the City of Lights.

At a recent concert in Paris, Madonna performed her song "Nobody Knows Me" while imagery of Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's National Front party, was displayed with a swastika on her forehead.

In an interview with Brazil's Fantastico, Madonna defended the controversial images, saying," All images in the video were chosen purposefully…That film that was created is about the intolerance that we human beings have for one another and how much we judge people before knowing them."

Le Pen caught wind of the use of her image earlier in the tour and prewarned legal action and the N.F. party has since said they plan to sue the singer for using the image during her stint at Stade de France

Still, Madonna stands by her choice, refusing the edit the video.

"There seems to be a growing intolerance around the world. In Greece, France, everywhere people are trying to kick out all the immigrants, make people cover up and not show what their religious affiliation is. Think about what's going on in Russia towards the gay community," Madonna explained. "I'm calling attention to that intolerance and asking people to pay attention, to wake up to see how we are just creating more chaos in the world."

And for anyone who's considering calling out the Material Girl during the rest of her world tour? Might not be worth it.

"Art is there to track what's going on in the world," Madonna boasts. "To make social commentary."