Croatian Singer Marko Perkovic Sparks Feud with Pro-Nazi Salute in Concert

Contentious Tens of thousands of fans flocked to Zagreb last weekend to see Croatian musician Marko Perković, better known by his stage name Thompson, perform a song that begins with the chant "Za dom spremni!" which is the Croatian version of the Nazi salute "Sieg Heil."

The performance at the Hippodrome on Saturday was expected to be the largest concert in Croatian history, as we reported earlier this year. In terms of ticket sales, Perković surpassed artists like Tina Turner and The Rolling Stones.

Perković's concert in the Croatian capital drew half a million people, according to the organizers. The 58-year-old rock star's frequent pro-Nazi demonstrations at his concerts have resulted in his prohibition from performing in various European locations. His followers are well-known for their chants of "Kill a Serb" and "Here we go, Ustasha" (the Croatian fascist and ultranationalist organization).

Perković is still very well-liked in Croatia, though, and regularly shows up at sporting events and rallies.

The artist informed the audience that "with this concert we will show our unity" as he emerged onto the stage. "Return to its tradition and Christian roots," he exhorted the rest of Europe. Perković and his supporters continued to give pro-Nazi World War II salutes at the event on Saturday, even though the organizers stated that any displays of hate-inspiring symbols were strictly prohibited.

During Saturday's performance, one of Marko Perković's best-known songs begins with the infamous "For the homeland - Ready!" salute, which was adopted by Croatia's Nazi-era puppet Ustasha regime.

Tens of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma, and anti-fascists from Croatia and the surrounding nations were cruelly murdered in concentration camps run by the Ustasha administration during World War II.

Earlier in the day, Croatian media showed video footage of numerous fans performing pro-Nazi salutes. According to HRT, the Croatian state television, courts have decided that Perković can include the salute in his song, even though it is illegal in Croatia. Jadranka Kosor, the former prime minister, criticized the way that "the city and the state have been put in service of one man" on X.