"I’m personally concerned people will hear the song and think John Farnham is personally endorsing these protests."
John Farnham's manager has slammed anti-lockdown campaigners who have been singing the Australian icon's classic track, You're The Voice, at some recent protests.
As The Age reports, around 50 protesters gathered at Chadstone Shopping Centre on Sunday where they sung the 1986-released hit.
"I’m personally concerned people will hear the song and think John Farnham is personally endorsing these protests, and in this case it’s not right," Wheatley, who has been managing Farnham since the '80s, said.
"It’s something that John and I do not condone, the use of that song, particularly in a time in Melbourne where we are in stage four lockdown.
Protesters have gathered at Chadstone Shopping Centre to sing. #9news @9NewsMelb @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/UO86f8YcHt
— Maggie Raworth (@MaggieRaworth) September 20, 2020
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"Really, the last thing we should be doing is protesting, no one should be hitting the streets en masse, endangering people’s lives and livelihoods."
Wheatley also commented on You're The Voice being used more protests around the country, again reiterating that is not what the song is about.
"It was not meant to be a protest song, it was meant to be used as an inspirational song for nations and for people, not in a situation of what was an illegal protest," he said.
"I want to reiterate, we support people’s right to protest, but there’s circumstances where the protest can be done, and taking to the streets of Melbourne today is not it."