Morrissey has given Iceland the cold shoulder after cancelling a planned gig in Reykjavik because of a dispute over vegetarian food. The singer, whose band The Smiths released an album called Meat Is Murder, is an avid campaigner for animal rights.

Morrissey has called of his gig in Iceland over a row about serving vegetarian food

Morrissey has called off his gig in Iceland over a row about serving vegetarian food. Image by Man Alive! / CC BY 2.0

A statement on the fan site True To You, which he uses to post official messages, said the show at the Harpa concert hall had been scrapped “due to the refusal of management” to “sell only vegetarian food on the night”.

He said: “I love Iceland and I have waited a long time to return, but I shall leave the Harpa concert hall to their cannibalistic flesh-eating bloodlust.”

It is not the first time a gig has been cancelled when it conflicted with his vegetarian beliefs – in 2009 he left the stage at California’s Coachella Festival after complaining about the smell of burgers, telling the crowd he could smell “burning flesh”.

(Press Association)