Their first show in Italy should have been an entirely positive experience, but Ukrainian World War I-themed blackened death metal band 1914 ran into a problem with local police over money they collected during the tour.
According to a statement the band shared with fans, their visit to Italy went mostly without a hitch until they went to leave the country. During their travels, they were stopped by the country’s financial police and subjected to an inspection. What resulted was the immediate seizure of cash donations the band had been collecting throughout the run of dates to support the Ukrainian army.
Though the band says they made sure to keep the amounts within legal declaration limits as they pertain to each member, the fact that all the money was stored in a single box meant they were in violation of some law.
“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.”
The band said they tried to explain themselves to authorities, but their protestations fell on deaf ears, despite even going so far as to seek legal counsel. What resulted was a €4,800 fine issued by the Guardia di Finanza.
“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.”