▁up ▁a ▁pet ition ▁on ▁the ▁UK ▁Prime ▁Minister ' s ▁website ▁to ▁allow ▁protest ▁against ▁what ▁he ▁alleg es ▁as ▁" ra cial ▁disc rim ination ". ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁statement ▁on ▁their ▁web ▁site , ▁The ▁British ▁Academy ▁of ▁Compos ers ▁and ▁Song writ ers ▁CE O ▁Patrick ▁R ack ow ▁stated ▁"... the ▁im position ▁of ▁Form ▁ 6 9 6 ▁on ▁live ▁music ▁is ▁likely ▁to ▁disc ou rage ▁the ▁existence ▁and ▁growth ▁of ▁live ▁music . ▁Music ▁has ▁long ▁been ▁a ▁positive ▁form ▁of ▁free ▁expression , ▁for ▁people ▁from ▁all ▁wal ks ▁of ▁life ▁to ▁create ▁and ▁enjoy . ▁This ▁form ▁appears ▁to ▁single ▁out ▁certain ▁gen res ▁of ▁music ▁and ▁eth nic ▁aud ien ces ▁and ▁therefore ▁the ▁Academy ▁cannot ▁support ▁it .” ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Mike ▁How lett , ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Music ▁Produ cers ▁Gu ild ▁( UK ), ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Mus icians ▁Union ▁" In ▁keeping ▁with ▁the ▁Mus icians ▁Union ▁and ▁UK ▁Music , ▁we ▁feel ▁this ▁is ▁a ▁gross ▁in fr ing ement ▁of ▁civil ▁libert ies ▁and ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁ra cial ▁disc rim ination . ▁We ▁also ▁feel ▁that ▁this ▁will ▁d eter ▁the ▁st aging ▁of ▁live ▁musical ▁events , ▁st if le ▁free ▁expression ▁and ▁possibly ▁pen al ise ▁certain ▁gen res ▁of ▁music ▁and ▁eth nic ▁aud ien ces . ▁Our ▁members ▁are ▁hor r ified ▁that ▁this ▁legisl ation , ▁introduced ▁in ▁