Van Morrison is being sued by Northern Ireland’s health minister for defamation after the singer said that he was “very dangerous” for his handling of COVID-19 restrictions. Morrison, who has made being anti-lockdown his brand, publicly denounced health minister Robin Swann on-stage at a gathering in Belfast’s Europa Hotel in June 2021 after one of Morrison’s concerts was cancelled due to the country’s virus policies. Swann had previously written an opinion piece in Rolling Stone last year saying that Morrison’s anti-lockdown songs were “bizarre and irresponsible.”

Per Associated Press, Morrison’s comments at the Europa Hotel were followed by other incidents in which Morrison criticized Swann, calling him “a fraud” to local media and again saying he was “dangerous” in a YouTube video.

Swann’s lawyer says that proceedings “are at an advanced stage with an anticipated hearing date early in 2022.” Morrison’s lawyer told AP that the singer will contest the claim by arguing “that the words used by him related to a matter of public interest and constituted fair comment.”