Marilyn Manson’s first UK performance cancelled after pressure from campaigners
The inaugural UK performance of Marilyn Manson’s tour has been scrapped following pressure from Brighton Pavilion MP Sian Berry and various campaign groups.
The concert, originally scheduled for October 29 at Brighton Centre, was cancelled on Saturday.
Fans attempting to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster encountered a message stating “this event has been cancelled”.
The show was meant to launch the UK leg of Manson’s One Assassination Under God Tour.
The cancellation comes five months after US prosecutors declined to pursue charges against the 56-year-old musician, whose legal name is Brian Warner, following a lengthy investigation into allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced in January that the allegations against Manson were too old under the law and lacked sufficient evidence to bring charges.
The singer has consistently denied all accusations against him.
The investigation began in early 2021 when LA County sheriff’s detectives started examining alleged incidents that occurred between 2009 and 2011 in West Hollywood.
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The four-year investigation ultimately concluded without criminal charges being filed.
The decision not to prosecute came after extensive scrutiny of the allegations, with prosecutors determining they could not meet the legal threshold required for criminal proceedings.
Earlier this month, Berry penned an open letter to Brighton and Hove City Council demanding the concert’s cancellation.
The letter, co-signed by victim support groups and the University of Sussex students’ union, stated: “Many survivors in Brighton and Hove, and organisations supporting them, will have serious concerns about this booking and its wider impact on other people visiting the city centre, local residents and the wider community.”
The Green MP’s intervention sparked immediate controversy when the letter was posted online.
Her campaign to prevent the performance gained support from various local organisations concerned about the potential impact on vulnerable community members.
The letter triggered a wave of public responses, with many highlighting that Manson had not been found guilty of any allegations and that the four-year investigation had not resulted in charges.
Critics labelled the campaign to cancel the performance as censorship.
Despite the Brighton cancellation, five additional UK concerts scheduled for October and November remain listed on ticketing websites.
Ticketmaster’s message to customers noted: “Ticket sales have stopped but there may be tickets available for other dates.”
This comes as a Bournemouth council leader also recently called for a Marilyn Manson concert to be cancelled at a council-owned venue, citing concerns about violence against women following sexual assault allegations against the singer.
Liberal Democrat leader Millie Earl told a council meeting that the Halloween performance at the Bournemouth International Centre should be scrapped to “reinforce the message that violence against women and girls isn’t something that’s acceptable in our community”.