Marilyn Manson’s UK show facing calls to be cancelled following musician’s sexual abuse allegations: ‘Isn’t acceptable’
A Bournemouth council leader has 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”.
The concert is part of Manson’s One Assassination Under God tour scheduled for later this year.
Earl said she had written to venue operator BH Live expressing her concerns, stating: “I don’t feel Marilyn Manson reflects the values we have in BCP.”
She explained that whilst the council owns the venue, it has no input into booking decisions due to its lease arrangement with BH Live.
The council leader was responding to a resident’s question about the concert during a meeting.
Earl highlighted the council’s work on initiatives including the White Ribbon accreditation scheme, which helps men and boys change negative, damaging behaviours.
“So I have asked that BH Live reconsider hosting Marilyn Manson later this year,” she said.
Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, has repeatedly denied accusations against him through his lawyer, dismissing them as “falsehoods”.
Since allegations emerged, the singer’s record label, booking agent and manager have severed ties with him.
In January, California prosecutors dropped a year-long criminal investigation into Manson, stating the allegations exceeded the statute of limitations and they could not prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Four women had filed lawsuits accusing the singer of sexual and physical abuse, including Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco and Manson’s former personal assistant Ashley Walters.
Model Ashley Morgan Smithline later recanted her claims, whilst a fourth woman chose to remain anonymous.
In 2021, actress Evan Rachel Wood accused Manson of abusing her during their three-year relationship.
“Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality,” Manson wrote in an Instagram post in February 2021.
Similar concerns have been raised in Brighton, where MP Siân Berry has written an open letter to council leader Bella Sankey urging cancellation of Manson’s scheduled performance at the Brighton Centre on October 29.
Berry argued the concert goes against “the city’s well-renowned values” and highlighted that age restrictions would allow children as young as 14 to attend.
“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,” Berry wrote.
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Her letter was co-signed by the Survivors’ Network, Reclaim The Night Brighton & Hove, The Queery Co-Op, and University of Sussex Students’ Union.
Berry acknowledged freedom of expression but warned of “an obvious risk to community cohesion”.
GB News has contacted Manson’s representatives for a comment.