Police and Edinburgh council has moved to shut down the controversial Fringe comedy show by the right-to-die campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke.
The controversial Australian, known as Dr Death, was told just hours before he was due on stage that he was unable to use the gas cylinders needed for a key part of the show.
Dr Nischke had brought his updated euthanasia machine, Destiny, to Scotland so he could invite audience members to join him on stage and experience being ‘gassed’ as they model how “a peaceful and reliable means of death” is carried out. He had been due to use cylinders with 100 per cent nitrogen but that was blocked.
“Things aren’t going ahead as planned,” he told the Independent. “The police and council have moved to close down any demonstration of the Destiny machine. They got in touch with our gas supplier and told them not to sell us the cylinders. We tried to compromise and said we would abandon the use of pure nitrogen, as the police and council said it was dangerous to members of the public, and that we would use air instead.
Philip Nitschke, Dr Death, with the Destiny machine
“They said that would be probably be alright but when we went to get our air cylinders this morning we were informed they were not going to sell us those either. This is air. I’ve never heard of law that says you can’t use cylinders of air on stage.”
The Edinburgh Fringe show where the audience will be 'gassed'
Dr Nitschke said he was also disappointed by the police actions claiming they have “scared the hell out of the venue”, Just the Tonic comedy club at the Caves.
He said: “After getting nowhere with the cylinders the venue got in contact with us to say the police had got in touch with them to tell them there was to be no cylinder of any kind on stage. So basically it’s very hard to know what we’re going to do. They’ve basically closed it down and we find ourselves pretty well stifled. I’m pretty annoyed. It seems free speech comes second to council by-laws.”
The show, Dicing with Dr Death, promised to tell “the funny side of the right to die debate” “and was due to run until 29 August, but Dr Nitschke said he was struggling to figure out how to replace the material in time for the opening show.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police in Edinburgh were made aware of public health concerns at an Edinburgh Fringe show where a gas canister is present on the stage. Officers carried out a joint visit to the show organisers alongside the City of Edinburgh Council, who are continuing inquiries.”
An Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “Council officers have visited the venue and have given advice about how to comply with licensing conditions.”
