IRON MAIDEN Singer Slams Norwegian Mass Murderer, Says Band's Music 'Unites People' (Video)

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has slammed Anders Breivik, the man responsible for killing 77 people in Norway, as an "asshole."

Breivik, a white native Norwegian, was described by the Guardian as "a Christian fundamentalist with a deep hatred of multiculturalism, of the left, and of Muslims."

During IRON MAIDEN's concert last night (Friday, August 5) at the O2 Arena in London, England, Dickinson introduced the song "Blood Brothers" by saying, "[IRON] MAIDEN is not just about [playing in places like] this now MAIDEN is about everywhere in the world.

"There's something [in our music and message] that unites people, and it doesn't matter what color they are or what religion they are, or whether they are male or female or somewhere in between.

"We were in Belfast the other night [where you hear] all the bullshit about Protestant, Catholic, this and that and the other. And I just said, 'Look, this is a safe house, this is our house, this is MAIDEN's house, everybody's fucking welcome and we don't turn anybody away, no matter who they are. Except maybe We were in Oslo the other week [where] the most recent, bullshit, appalling atrocity wasn't committed by a Muslim, it was committed by somebody who called themselves a Christian the asshole over there, really. Unbelievable."

Fan-filmed video footage of Bruce's speech can be seen below.

IRON MAIDEN's set included five songs from the band's latest album, "The Final Frontier", sandwiched between classics from the group's back catalogue.

IRON MAIDEN's setlist was as follows:

01. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
02. El Dorado
03. 2 Minutes To Midnight
04. The Talisman
05. Coming Home
06. Dance Of Death
07. The Trooper
08. The Wicker Man
09. Blood Brothers
10. When The Wild Wind Blows
11. The Evil That Men Do
12. Fear Of The Dark
13. Iron Maiden

Encore:

14. The Number of the Beast
15. Hallowed Be Thy Name
16. Running Free

As previously reported, IRON MAIDEN did not perform its classic song "The Trooper" during its headlining concert in Belfast, Northern Ireland on August 3. Although no official explanation was given by the group for its decision to omit the track from the setlist, MAIDENfans are speculating that this is because the band's mascot, Eddie, has been an inspiration for several Irish loyalist paramilitaries who have used its image from "The Trooper" single on wall murals throughout the North of Ireland (Photo#1, Photo#2, Photo#3).

Back in 2003, MAIDEN's Irish fans erupted in fury when Dickinson provocatively waved two giant Union Jacks during the band's first concert in Ireland in almost 10 years.

In addition to Dickinson, 52, MAIDEN features guitarists Adrian Smith, Janick Gers and Dave Murray, all 54, plus bassist Steve Harris, 55, and drummer Nicko McBrain, 57.