You're reading: Madonna to US fans: Appreciate your freedom

PHILADELPHIA — As she kicked off the U.S. leg of her "MDNA Tour" in Philadelphia, Madonna said she was happy to party in the USA after touring Europe for three months.

The pop icon told the crowd Tuesday night they
should “never forget how lucky you are to live where you live and to
have the freedom that you have.” She made the comments after talking
about punk-rock group Pussy Riot’s recent arrest in Moscow after the female band performed a “punk prayer” against Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s main cathedral.

Madonna
said it was no coincidence that she opened her U.S. tour “where the
Declaration of Independence was signed.” Then the 53-year-old yelled:
“We are in the land of democracy.”

She also told the crowd: “Don’t get fat and lazy and take that freedom for granted.”