Bournemouth council leader plea to cancel Marilyn Manson show

A council leader has urged a venue to cancel a Marilyn Manson show following dropped allegations against the singer.

In January, California prosecutors ended a rape and domestic violence investigation into claims by four women.

Through his lawyer, Manson – whose legal name is Brian Warner – repeatedly denied the accusations and dismissed them as “falsehoods”.

However, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council leader Millie Earl said the Dorset gig should be scrapped to “reinforce the message that violence against women and girls isn’t something that’s acceptable in our community”.

The Liberal Democrat was responding to a resident’s question about the Halloween concert, part of the singer’s One Assassination Under God tour.

Ms Earl said the council owned the venue, the Bournemouth International Centre, which is operated by BH Live.

She said: “Because of our lease arrangement with them, we don't have any input into the decisions that are made, the acts that are appearing, although I have actually written to BH Live to express my concern.”

The leader continued: “I don’t feel Marilyn Manson reflects the values we have in BCP and we’ve been doing a lot of work around things like 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.”

In January, California prosecutors said the allegations against Manson exceeded the statute of limitations, adding “we cannot prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt”.

The four women who filed lawsuits accusing the singer of sexual and physical abuse included model Ashley Morgan Smithline, who later recanted her claims, Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco and Manson’s former personal assistant Ashley Walters. The fourth woman chose to remain anonymous.

Since the allegations were made, Manson’s record label, booking agent and manager have severed ties with him.

“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.

The BBC has approached both the singer’s US attorney and BH Live for comment.