Punk band show at Veterans Hall sparks controversy over accusations of Nazi ties

A Scottish punk band playing Friday at the Veterans Memorial Building in downtown Santa Cruz is causing controversy over concerns that the lead singer has connections to Nazi ideologies. 

The Exploited is scheduled to play at the venue as scheduled starting at 7 p.m., despite concerns from some community members in the past few days, said Dave Ramos, Vets Hall managing director. 

The band’s lead singer, Wattie Buchan, is at the center of the controversy after people began posting on Reddit on Wednesday about what they claim are Buchan’s ties to neo-Nazi sympathizers, pointing to photographs of him wearing shirts with Nazi imagery and a swastika tattoo on his arm. Some opposed to the band have threatened to launch a pressure campaign to get other artists set to play at the Vets Hall to rebook their shows elsewhere in the county.

Mirko Jurcan, a veteran and Santa Cruz resident, is among those who have urged the venue to cancel the show. A quick Google search on the band and its singer confirmed his belief that they support racist rhetoric, he said. 

“[Buchan] has a Nazi swastika tattoo with the skull, like Nazi skull on his left arm. That’s personally enough for me,” said Jurcan.

Ramos, who began his role at the Vets Hall in late December, told Lookout the venue had booked the band for Friday’s concert months in advance, and this is not the first time it has played at the Vets Hall. The Exploited held a concert at the venue in 2023. 

There were brief discussions about canceling the show as discourse online continued, but ultimately, the venue decided to not cancel the concert, he said. 

Ramos acknowledged that The Exploited has courted controversy, thanks to what he called the band’s “aggressive style,” which has included profanity-laced criticisms of government and war, anti-authoritarian themes that Ramos argued are common in punk music. In a biography on its website, the band describes itself as: “Riot starting, bouncer bashing, cop baiting, hotel trashing, foul talking, noise making, chaos causing, venue wrecking, government hating, rule breaking, piss taking, unrelenting, punk rocking.”

However, Ramos said in an emailed statement that claims the band supports Nazi or fascist ideologies are “questionable,” arguing that Buchan has publicly denounced far-right groups, played alongside left-wing punk bands like Dead Kennedys and Anti-Flag, and performed at anti-racism rallies. 

Lookout reached out to The Exploited on social media about the opposition to its concert in Santa Cruz. “We have had more fights with the right wing than anyone,” the band wrote in a Facebook message. The band didn’t comment directly about complaints that it has Nazi connections, but said its drummer is Black and its road crew is Mexican. 

“[I] think that says it all really. There are a lot of really stupid people who know f–k all about us,” the band said. 

Ramos said if the Vets Hall begins to be selective about who it allows to use and rent the space based on their values, it would go against what the venue stands for. “We are upholding the idea and value of freedom of expression, and not endorsing any kind of viewpoints,” he said. “We’re allowing the opportunity to express those viewpoints.”

While venue organizers have heard from those opposed to The Exploited, Ramos said he’s also heard from people respecting the venue’s decision to allow the band to continue with its concert, citing freedom of expression. 

Jurcan called the venue’s response to community concerns “disgusting, disingenuous and disgraceful.” Freedom of speech is great, he said, but he doesn’t think that a venue that represents U.S. military veterans should book acts with extremist views, he said. 

“You’re not limiting their expression. They’re free to stand outside the venue. They’re free to stand on the corner and shout their extremist views,” Jurcan said. “But I don’t think that a United States military veterans hall should be platforming Nazis.”

Protestors are more than welcome, said Ramos. He added that he’s been having discussions with the show’s promoters about having more security at the show, and will notify the Santa Cruz Police Department or the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office if any serious problems arise. 

Ramos said he’s not opposed to people showing up to the show with signs opposing the band’s performance, as long as there is no violence.

“Everyone has the opportunity to express their points of view, their opposition or support,” said Ramos.

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