On this day 1966: The South African Broadcasting Corporation banned the Beatle music on the country’s airwaves.

In an interview published in the London Evening Standard in March 1966, Beatles lead singer John Lennon claimed that the music band was “more popular than Jesus”. He further said that “Christianity will go, it will vanish and shrink”.

“I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first – rock & roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”

The publication was largely unnoticed and Lennon later said he barely remembered the remark. However, when it was re-published in the American teen magazine Datebook on July 29th, it set off an international furore that threatened the Beatles’ future – and their lives.

There were protests across many cities calling for the band to be sanctioned. On August 3, 1966, the South African Broadcasting Corporation announced a ban on The Beatles’ records because the apartheid regime in the country considered the comments to be anti-religious.

The ban lasted for 5 years and after the Beatles broke up Lennon’s solo records remained banned but those of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were permitted. Lennon later said that “if I had said TV is more popular than Jesus,’ I might have got away with it!”