Lady Gaga canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia after Islamist hard-liners threatened violence, claiming her sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt the youth.

The controversy was a blow to the predominantly Muslim country’s reputation for combining free speech and democracy with a mostly moderate brand of the faith.

Additional Photos

Muslim men shout slogans during a rally against pop singer Lady Gaga’s concert, which had been scheduled for June 3, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Friday. The concert was canceled Sunday. The Associated Press

Lady Gaga

Beyonce

Director Michael Haneke, center, poses Sunday with the Palme d’Or for “Amour,” flanked by actors Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant. The Associated Press

Fans were devastated, despite the promoter’s offer of full refunds. Some accused police — who refused to issue a permit over concerns about security — of buckling to the will of a small group of thugs.

The planned “Born This Way Ball” concert has been on-again-off-again from the start.

But on Sunday, it was final, said Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for Big Daddy, the promoter of the June 3 show.

“With threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga’s side is calling it off. This is not only about Lady Gaga’s security, but extends to those who will be watching her,” he said.

Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million, is often held up by the U.S. and others an example of how democracy and Islam and can coexist. In many ways they are right. Since emerging from dictatorship just over a decade ago, sweeping reforms have resulted in direct elections, while vastly improving human rights and freeing up the media.

But a small extremist fringe has become more vocal — and violent — in recent years, attacking Christians and members of other religious minorities, transvestites, atheists and anyone else deemed immoral.

The most notorious group, Islamic Defenders Front, called Lady Gaga a “messenger of the devil” and vowed to turn out at the airport by the thousands if she tried to step off the plane. Others said they bought tickets so they could wreak havoc from inside the 52,000-seat stadium in the capital, Jakarta.

Police responded by denying the necessary permits. Then, after public outcry, they said they’d reconsider — but only if Lady Gaga agreed to tone down her act. Instead, she canceled.

First lady, girls see Beyonce perform

Michelle Obama was with the single ladies this weekend, joining 5,500 fans at a Beyonce concert in Atlantic City, N.J.

The first lady was with daughters Sasha and Malia at Revel Resorts, where Beyonce performed two dozen songs Saturday night. President Obama did not attend.

Gov. Chris Christie was among the sell-out crowd packed into Revel’s Ovation Hall.

Michelle Obama recently told People magazine that if she could be anyone else, it would be Beyonce, and the first lady got a roaring cheer that matched Beyonce’s as she made her way to her seat in a shiny green dress.

Austrian takes top prize again at Cannes fest

The Cannes Film Festival rewarded one of its favorite directors Sunday, as Michael Haneke won the top prize — the Palme d’Or — for a second time with his stark film about love and death, “Amour.”

The Austrian director’s powerful and understated film stars French acting icons — Emmanuelle Riva, 85, and Jean-Louis Trintignant, 81 — as an elderly couple coping with the wife’s worsening health.

Some viewers were surprised by the humanity of the film, coming from a master of tightly controlled cinema whose movies often contain bursts of violence.

The director said his reputation for delivering shocks was unjust.

“Journalists always try to stick a label on directors,” he said. “For a long time I’ve been the expert in violence.”

But he said the style of a film should suit its subject, and “this film is about love.”

He won the Palme in 2009 for “The White Ribbon,” and is the seventh director to win it twice.

— From news service reports

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