Police urge 'Boss' boycott

Springsteen does not mention Diallo by name in American Skin

Police in New York have urged fans to stay away from a series of Bruce Springsteen concerts in the city because they are worried about the inflammatory nature of his new song.

Springsteen is set to perform the first of 10 gigs at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The song at the centre of the controversy is called American Skin (41 shots).

We're trying to work in this community, and him opening up old wounds just makes our jobs more difficult

NYPD police officer

It is believed to refer to the 1999 police shooting in New York of an unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo, 22. The four officers were later acquitted of murder.

Speaking about the boycott call, one New York officer said the song would make policing the concert, and the city, much harder.

"I happen to like Springsteen," he said, but added: "We're trying to work in this community, and him opening up old wounds just makes our jobs more difficult."

Civil unrest

Springsteen has not recorded or released the song in any format. Neither has he made any comment about its content or inspiration.

He first performed American Skin in Atlanta last week during a set with his E Street Band. It opens with the words "41 shots, 41 shots" - the number of bullets fired at Diallo by four officers.

It also includes the line "You can get killed just for living in your American skin", although Springsteen does not mention Diallo by name.

Diallo was hit by 19 bullets and killed in the lobby of his apartment building late at night after the policemen mistook the wallet he pulled from his pocket for a gun.

The shooting was followed by several days of unrest in New York as civil rights activists mounted protests against the killing.