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Munich's Michael Jackson shrine threatened with closure after fights between fans

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Munich's Michael Jackson shrine threatened with closure after fights between fans






The unofficial Michael Jackson shrine in Munich
Picture: Christof Stache/AFP


By Justin Huggler, Berlin
3:07PM BST 31 Jul 2015




Bavarian authorities issues two rival groups of fans, MJ’s Legacy, and MJ Memorial Munich, with "absolute final warning" over unofficial shrine to singer


A famous shrine to Michael Jackson in Munich could face closure after violent fights over its appearance between rival fans.


Candles and flowers have stood at the unofficial shrine outside the city’s Bayerischer Hof hotel every day since the singer’s death in 2009.


But now the Bavarian state government says that unless the competing groups of fans who place photos and other memorabilia at the site can learn to get along, the shrine will have to go.


The government has stepped in after scuffles broke out between fans, with one claiming that a rival threw a glass candle-holder at her.


“If peaceful coexistence between the different groups of fans behind the Michael Jackson memorial is not possible, then sadly the memorial will have to be removed,” the Bavarian culture ministry warned in a letter to the fans.


The shrine first appeared the day after Jackson’s death from a prescription drug overdose in 2009.


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Fans commandeered the base of a statue of Orlando di Lasso, a Renaissance composer, opposite the hotel where Jackson often stayed while in Munich.


Today, the pedestal of the statue is festooned with photos of Jackson, flowers and balloons.


Although it has never been officially sanctioned, the shrine has become a tourist sight, with national flags left by fans from around the world.


"This is an absolute final warning," a spokesman for the culture ministry told reporters.


"We tolerated this memorial until now, but we’ve heard from the police about disputes between fans, and there have even been criminal complaints.”


The dispute appears to be between two rival groups of fans, MJ’s Legacy, and MJ Memorial Munich.


“For some time, a group of four people has come together to rally against our work,” Nena Snezana Akhtar, who runs’s MJ’s Legacy, told the AFP news agency.


“They remove our decorations, take down our posters and crush the flowers we plant.”


Bettina Alde, from the rival group, denied the accusation and claimed that MJ’s Legacy was monopolising the space around the shrine.


"The organisation MJ's Legacy thinks that it has exclusive permission from the city to decorate and maintain the memorial," she said.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...d-with-closure-after-fights-between-fans.html

C'mon guys, don't you all have the same goal ultimately?
 
How honestly pathetic, those fans seriously need to grow up (and whatever happened to 'it's all for LOVE?').
 
The online MJ fan community has been horrifically and embarrassingly fractured since Michael’s passing. That division has been fiercely supported by the most unlikely participants for their benefit.

This behavior is (unfortunately) expected as there was not, is not, and never will be one agenda in regards to the fandom.

We reap what we sow.
 
For German speakers: http://www.muenchen.tv/mediathek/video/michael-jackson-denkmal-wird-zum-streitpunk/

I understand German but I don't get what problem they have with each other. Basically it's allegations against each other that one or the another fan group wants to own the whole thing and apparently there are even physical attacks over it. From what the man says it almost seems like he does not want that memorial there because it's associated more with the another group and he says he would rather have some plaque somewhere that is "not possessed by someone" (I guess by the other group). It really seems childish and petty. Especially after how much good will Munchen had for this memorial because authorities let it remain.
 
Another interview: http://www.br.de/mediathek/video/video/jackson-muenchen-denkmal-100.html

From what I gather from FB it seems to me there is this bigger fan group MJ Legacy that takes care of the memorial. And there is a smaller MJ fan group who for some reason deliberately wants to destroy the whole thing. They steal things from it, they break them, they mess it up and there have been even physical conflicts. I have no idea what's the purpose of it. Jealousy? They want a memorial elsewhere? Either way it seems petty. If you don't like it, that's right, just do it your own way then but why do you have do destroy what others do? On the MJ Legacy FB they say basically we are talking about four people attack them over this.
 
This is so sad.

Prior to Michael's death it used to be us MJ fans against everyone else, but after his passing it seems fans have all turned on each other. We were once united in loving, defending and spreading Michael's message and I so desperately wish it could still be like that. Now that he isn't here we should be united more than ever in keeping his message alive but we aren't. Instead we fight over stupid things constantly, this memorial is just one of them. It's the reason why I have removed myself as much from the fandom as I have. Before I loved to share my love, opinions and thoughts on Michael with other fans but these days I just keep it to myself as it will most likely just end in a heated argument. I'm glad Michael doesn't know that this is how his fans are behaving now.
 
I just think that is ridiculous that they have warring fan groups and they can't co-exist. Especially since the city just lets them have the shrine unofficially. I love the pix of it thru the seasons and holidays.
But I've seen the same thing in other places notably Forest Lawn with groups doing collections for flowers etc.

I guess this doesn't only happen with Michael. Here, we have two Martin Luther King (another symbol of peace and brotherhood) groups who apparently despise each other to the point that Houston has 2 official MLK parades on his birthday every year.
This has been going on over 25 yrs.
 
barbee0715 said:
I just think that is ridiculous that they have warring fan groups and they can't co-exist.
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It seems to me the smaller group (basically four people) are doing it deliberately. Their goal is to get the memorial removed. It's crazy when you think of it. Munich has a good will towards it, the town accepted it and people leave it alone, including authorities. No outsider attacks it, the general public of the town leaves it alone. It's a small group of fans of all people who are doing the destruction because of some petty jealousy or something. Crazy and sad.


I guess this doesn't only happen with Michael. Here, we have two Martin Luther King (another symbol of peace and brotherhood) groups who apparently despise each other to the point that Houston has 2 official MLK parades on his birthday every year.
This has been going on over 25 yrs.
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This reminds me of this scene from The Life of Brian.

 
This only fits into the whole ''crazy fan'' stereotype that the media loves to push.
 
respect77 said:
Another interview: http://www.br.de/mediathek/video/video/jackson-muenchen-denkmal-100.html

From what I gather from FB it seems to me there is this bigger fan group MJ Legacy that takes care of the memorial..
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You shouldn`t believe Nena Snezana Akhtar who is really a radical person who thinks she is the founder and owner of the memorail and the speaker of Michael. She is seeking attention and often mentions in media reports as she is speaking for all fans. It isn`t something new. This goes on since years and at least the memorial has survived.
For I think 2 years she did a fan-meeting on Michaels death day in Bayrischer Hof and announced she has a surprise. The surprise was a young man namend Prince Kevin Michael she announced is the son of Michael and then he did a terrible imitation of Michael.

But yes it is sad that there is fight between fans on that nice place. But Nena is a big reason for this, she is not the victim.
 
Sadly, the only sensible thing for the city authorities to do is to say that neither group can use the memorial for MJ. Everyone loses, but that is better than these reports of fights and destruction.

The 'Life of Brian' film clip sums up the MJ fan 'landscape' perfectly (sadly), although the clip is extremely funny.

^ I suppose the surprise WAS at least a surprise....and would be even to MJ's family. Where do these people come from, and what gives them these ridiculous ideas?
 
Annita said:
You shouldn`t believe Nena Snezana Akhtar who is really a radical person who thinks she is the founder and owner of the memorail and the speaker of Michael. She is seeking attention and often mentions in media reports as she is speaking for all fans. It isn`t something new. This goes on since years and at least the memorial has survived.
For I think 2 years she did a fan-meeting on Michaels death day in Bayrischer Hof and announced she has a surprise. The surprise was a young man namend Prince Kevin Michael she announced is the son of Michael and then he did a terrible imitation of Michael.

But yes it is sad that there is fight between fans on that nice place. But Nena is a big reason for this, she is not the victim.
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Thanks for the insight.

So what is your take on the situation, other than that this person is no good? I mean are there fans trying to destroy the memorial or not? If there are why are they doing it?
 
analogue said:
This only fits into the whole ''crazy fan'' stereotype that the media loves to push.
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Indeed. The sad thing is that this sort of in-fighting can apply to every fandom, but the media likely won't report about that.
 
This has been going on for years now and most of the long-time MJ fans and followers I know have withdrawn from the memorial because, unfortunately, the hate and disputes in this place overshadow the love. This is very sad! I always loved to go to the Bayerischer Hof, just to sit there and remember the times when I saw Michael there, stare at the windows and stuff. But now I mostly stay away.
I guess the main problem is that people want to own a piece of the memorial and accordingly a piece of Michael and tell others how to be a fan, how to honor him correctly etc. And that's not only the problem here with the memorial but a general problem in the MJ world right now. :(
 
Absolute morons, we are all MJ fans, and the man himself would want his own fans to get along and not fight over petty bullshit
 
I don't even understand this "own the memorial" thing. Why does it have to be owned by anyone? People go there, place their flowers, the photos, the gifts, whatever and that's it. It's not anyone's. Well, actually it's the town's which was kind enough to allow the MJ memorial.

tell others how to be a fan, how to honor him correctly etc.
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So how does it look like in practice? Someone goes there, brings a gift and this person tells them it's not appropriate and won't allow to be placed there?
 
respect77 said:
I don't even understand this "own the memorial" thing. Why does it have to be owned by anyone? People go there, place their flowers, the photos, the gifts, whatever and that's it. It's not anyone's. Well, actually it's the town's which was kind enough to allow the MJ memorial.
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Boy, this is quite amazing. I never would have guessed this stuff was happening by looking at the beautiful, peaceful, respectful pictures of the memorial the last few years. I had imagined people just going there and adding their card or flowers, sitting down awhile and maybe a fan group gathering on special days to join together and sing. I'm so disappointed.

And another "real son"?? Michael was so much busier than I ever imagined.
 
barbee0715 said:
And another "real son"?? Michael was so much busier than I ever imagined.
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It's funny, because one minute the tabloids are saying that Michael fathered all these kids, but then the next minute they're saying that Michael was gay. So which one is it? lol
 
respect77 said:
I don't even understand this "own the memorial" thing. Why does it have to be owned by anyone? People go there, place their flowers, the photos, the gifts, whatever and that's it. It's not anyone's. Well, actually it's the town's which was kind enough to allow the MJ memorial.
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I totally agree with you! That's the way it should be! But it's not!
Here is a German article about the whole dispute (http://www.tz.de/muenchen/stadt/alt...en-vor-dem-aus-streit-unter-fans-5274979.html) and in one part it says that one group "has made one side of the memorial available for the other group to put pictures and design". And that's actually also the last I know - that one group "owns" three sides and the other "owns" one side.


respect77 said:
So how does it look like in practice? Someone goes there, brings a gift and this person tells them it's not appropriate and won't allow to be placed there?
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Yes, or just destroys it, puts it in the trash can; you are told "you are not a real fan" and stuff. It's really that ridiculous!
 
respect77 said:
I don't even understand this "own the memorial" thing. Why does it have to be owned by anyone? People go there, place their flowers, the photos, the gifts, whatever and that's it. It's not anyone's. Well, actually it's the town's which was kind enough to allow the MJ memorial.
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100% agreed. This is something you'd expect from two 5 year old's sharing a room, not fully grown adults trying to give tribute to the same damn man.

It's cringe worthy honestly.
 
Idiots. well done for giving the media another stick to beat mj and the fan community with
 
LOL! This kind of thing doesn't surprise me at all. Everyone wants a piece of it for themselves. Awful.
 
I think we should behave like we would if Michael could see us.
They should play "Heal the World" at the shrine
 
MIST said:
I think we should behave like we would if Michael could see us.
They should play "Heal the World" at the shrine
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This! I am feeling ashamed of fans fighting over Michael in such immature w ays. :(
 
I have only just got involved in the online MJ fan community, before that my love of him and his music was just a personal thing and I didn't have any idea really what was going on with fans in the wider world.

What has surprised me is the existence of different factions; old fans, new fans, pro-estate, anti-estate, etc. I may be naive, but even now I don't really understand all the vitriol that's spouted in some quarters and why the fans are so divided.

I'm glad to say though that all my interactions here have been overwhelmingly positive.
 
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