Ringo Starr is the latest artist to cancel an event in North Carolina after the state passed a bill which removed anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community.
The former Beatles drummer announced on Wednesday he would not perform in the state on June 18.
"I'm sorry to disappoint my fans in the area, but we need to take a stand against this hatred. Spread peace and love," Starr said in a statement.
Last week, Bruce Springsteen canceled his April 10 show in Greensboro, North Carolina. In a statement on his website, Springsteen said this law burdens the LGBT community and strips them of the ability to protect themselves when their human rights are violated.
"To my mind, it's an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress," Springsteen said in the statement.
Companies with planned North Carolina expansion and their responses to the law
| Company name | # of Jobs | Location (in NC) | Money invested (millions) | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paypal | 400 | Charlotte | $3.6 | Halted plans |
| Braeburn Pharmaceuticals | 52 | Durham County | $19.9 | Reevaluating our options |
| KSM Castings USA | 80 | Shelby | $80 | |
| Unitquetex | 150 | Grover | $31.6 | |
| RSI Home Products Manufacturing | 175 | Richmond County | $5.8 | |
| GF Automotive and Linamar Corporation | 350 | Mills River | $217 | |
| Krystal Engineering | 82 | Caldwell County | $20.9 | Plans unchanged |
| Republic Services | 350 | Charlotte | $6.8 | |
| Perdue Foods | 30 | Rockingham | $10.9 | |
| Coty | 25 | Sanford | $19 | |
| The Hillshire Brands Company | 98 | Tarboro | $28.4 | |
| BSH Home Appliances Corporation | 460 | New Bern | $80.7 | |
| Corning Optical Communications | 150 | Mecklenburg County | $38.7 | Plans unchanged |
| Red Ventures | 500 | Charlotte | $5 | Reevaluating our growth plans |
| Qorvo | 100 | Greensboro | $25 | |
| Premier Research | 260 | Durham | $4.1 | |
| Ivar’s Cabinet Shop | 27 | Shelby | $2.8 | Plans unchanged |
| Alcami (AAIPharma Services Corp./Cambridge Major Laboratories) | 37 | Wilmington | $15.8 | |
| WillowTree | 98 | Durham | $0.25 | |
| Frontier Communications | 200 | Durham | $4.3 | |
| GKN Sinter Metals | 55 | Conover | $19.8 | |
| Fidelity Investments | 600 | Durham County | $8 | |
| Ashley Furniture Industries | 454 | Davie County | $8.7 | |
| Magneti Marelli Powertrain USA | 76 | Sanford | $12 | |
| North State Aviation | 109 | North Carolina Global TransPark | $0.9 | |
| Deutsche Bank | 250 | Wake County | Not disclosed | Halted plans to create 250 new jobs |
Source: Sources: North Carolina Office of the Governor and the companies.
Major corporations have also taken a stand against the law. Deutsche Bank has halted its plans to expand in the state. PayPal has canceled its expansion plans as well. Chief executives of more than 80 companies including Apple, Facebook, and Bank of America signed a letter denouncing the bill.
On Tuesday, Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina said he would like to restore the right to sue over discrimination, but would not challenge a law regarding gender-specific bathroom access.
— CNBC's Ryan Ruggiero and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
