Van Morrison Files Legal Documents to Get Northern Ireland Music Venues to Open

Van Morrison continues to rail against lockdown measures with a recent legal filing to lift the ban on live music in indoor venues in Northern Ireland.

Per Rolling Stone, "Sarah Symington, an attorney at the firm John J. Rice and Co. Solicitors, which is representing Morrison, confirmed that the singer initiated legal action on January 12th. He filed a 'pre-action protocol letter' with the Department of Health 'challenging the blanket ban on live music [and] giving them 21 days to respond.'"

Rolling Stone notes, "A pre-action protocol letter isn’t an official filing document, but rather provides both parties an opportunity to plot a course of action and potentially settle." Symington, however, did say that if Northern Ireland's Department of Health didn't respond within the 21 day period that she would "...issue proceedings immediately to the High Court."

Morrison has released a number of tracks late last year in protest to COVID-19 lockdown measures including one featuring Eric Clapton called "Stand And Deliver." When he initially announced his protest songs, Morrison said in a statement, "I’m not telling people what to do or think, the government is doing a great job of that already. It’s about freedom of choice, I believe people should have the right to think for themselves."