A Japanese rock band’s new song “Columbus” had its music video taken down because it featured scenes of Christopher Columbus with men who looked like apes.
The film features three historical personalities instructing the ape-like creatures in a variety of skills, such as riding horses and playing musical instruments.
When the video was made public on Wednesday, it quickly caused controversy and was taken down the next day.
On Thursday, the band Mrs. Green Apple, issued an apology, stating that the video “contains expressions that lack understanding of historical and cultural backgrounds”.
The three members of the band are seen in the video discovering an island home to people who resemble apes while wearing costumes that represent Beethoven, Napoleon, and Christopher Columbus.
Some people on social media criticized the video for being racist, while others said it supported slavery.
“Slavery is attributed to Columbus, and there are contentious sequences like teaching chimpanzees to mimic Native Americans. Saw that coming, didn’t anyone?” one commenter on X said.
“The music video shows the men dressed as colonisers and the natives are portrayed as literal monkeys… that’s actually insane,” another said.
Others objected to how Columbus was portrayed; while he is recognized as “discovering” America, others argue that he was a cruel governor who abused and enslaved the aboriginal people.
