POLICE are being urged to prosecute three of the world’s top reggae stars for inciting homophobic violence after they were nominated for an awards ceremony in London this week.

Beenie Man, Bounty Killer and Elephant Man have recorded songs that, it is alleged, incite violence against, or the murder of, gays and lesbians.

Gay-rights activists have presented a dossier of evidence about the three Jamaican stars to Scotland Yard’s hate-crime unit and are urging the police to take action against the singers, their record labels and shops that sell the music.

The request comes at a sensitive time for the Metropolitan police, which is facing renewed accusations of racism after the unsuccessful prosecution of Ali Dizaei, one of the force’s most senior ethnic minority officers.

The call follows legal opinion by Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, and the former solicitor-general Lord Falconer, who say it is possible to prosecute singers who incite homophobic violence.

Bounty Killer sings about burning gay people, Elephant Man advocates shooting gays in the head and Beenie Man sings about attacking homosexuals. Jamaican gay-rights groups believe such lyrics have prompted violent attacks, in some cases leading to murder, in the Caribbean.

The three singers are among the biggest stars nominated for the Music of Black Origin (Mobo) Awards at the Royal Albert Hall, central London on Thursday.

Any move to prosecute them could have severe repercussions for the singers, who could be imprisoned, and their record companies. Stores could face court orders to withdraw the music from sale.

Peter Tatchell of Outrage, a gay-rights group, said: “The nomination of these singers is tantamount to rewarding bigotry. Our request for a prosecution will test whether the police and Crown prosecutors are sincere in their pledge to get tough with homophobic hate crimes.”

Tatchell was beaten by angry reggae fans when he protested against two of the singers outside last year’s Mobo party.

The Metropolitan police said: “We did receive a complaint and it was alleged that songs of a number of reggae artists nominated for the 2003 Mobo Awards incite homophobic assault and murder due to the lyrics. Officers from the diversity directorate are currently examining the details of the allegations.”

Chris Wells, the editor of a black music magazine, said: “You are never going to stop this — no matter what you do — because Jamaica is a very religious society and, unfortunately, for all sorts of reasons, homophobia is deep there. No matter if they are prosecuted in this country, they are going to go on selling records elsewhere. Hundreds of artists are singing songs like this.”

The Mobo organisers said the songs under scrutiny were recorded two years ago and that at least two of the artists had since distanced themselves from the lyrics.

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