A British singer quickly learned people get really pissed off when you show up to their trees and plants.
Beth Orton released a video for her song “1973” on Friday – then quickly took it off the internet (because everyone knows, deleting things on the internet makes them go away forever) – because people were pissed:
this BO video is fucked up, reminds me of when those dudes trashed Recapture Canyon with their ATVs @jaywbabcock pic.twitter.com/IrB0hWsUbL
— team love records (@teamloverecords) May 28, 2016
Joshua Tree area outraged over English singers spray painting flora. https://t.co/MUyTEEle1u @beth_orton @JTchamber @MojaveDesertLT
— Gary Daigneault (@GaryDaigneault1) May 31, 2016
I'm a fan @beth_orton but horrified your video concept destroyed a precious Joshua Tree. Shameful. pic.twitter.com/vTlIdVYkJT
— Mira Crisp (@misscrisp) May 28, 2016
The singer took it down after upsetting plenty of Joshua Tree residents by spray painting a Joshua tree and cholla cactus green, blue, red, and orange in the video.
Orton has since apologized on her Facebook page, saying “I am so sorry. I feel sick with disgust. I was told the tree was already dead. … Please let me know what I can do to help make some kind of amends. I did not direct the video and was following direction but now I know what I have been part of I feel utterly devastated and of course take responsibility for my part. I am truly and deeply sorry.”
The lot is owned by the Noah Purifoy Foundation. A spokesperson for the foundation told Z107.7 that they did not give Orton’s crew permission to film on the property.
A resident of Joshua Tree has a petition on Change.org calling for Orton to make a donation to the Mojave Desert Land Trust to pay for the clean up.
Thank you for your support of Cactus Hugs. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date.(Images via YouTube / Z107.7)
