A campaign group and city councillors are calling on Nottingham City Council to “show moral leadership” and reconsider the hosting of heavy metal star Marilyn Manson at the Motorpoint Arena venue later this year.
The first leg of Manson’s UK tour, which was due to take place in Brighton on 26 October, was cancelled in June following a number of dropped allegations against the singer.
His ‘One Assassination Under God’ tour event in the city was cancelled following pressure from a campaign group and concerns raised by local Green Party MP Sian Berry.
Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, is due to perform at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on 2 November, prompting a campaign group and two city councillors to call for it to be cancelled.
Alex Norris, Labour MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley, has also written to the arena asking for the booking to be looked at again.
Nottingham City Council, which developed and owns the Motorpoint, said the arena is “solely responsible for decisions around event programming”.
Bjorn is the co-founder and co-director of Male Allies Challenging Sexism (MACS).
He asked to be referred to by his first name only.
He said: “I’m disappointed because Nottingham is one of the councils and cities that makes a lot of noise about it.”
Jeff, of Nuthall, who also only asked to go by his first name, works as a freelance facilitator specialising in violence against women and girls for an organisation supporting domestic abuse survivors in Nottinghamshire.
“The council says it plays no part in booking anyone, but I think the council should be showing some moral leadership,” he said.
“The council could say it does not approve of it. For organisations not to comment in this day and age is disappointing.”
Bestwood ward councillor Georgia Power (Lab) said she would be raising the concerns directly with the council and calling on arena bosses to cancel the event.
“I share the group’s concerns about the message platforming Manson sends to women in Nottingham,” she said.
“Ultimately, I believe this is a decision for Motorpoint Arena, so I will also be contacting them urging them to cancel the show.”
Similarly, Councillor Matt Shannon, who represents the Castle ward where the arena is based, added: “I’m very much against the decision by Motorpoint to hold this event.”
A spokeswoman for Motorpoint Arena declined to comment, and a council spokesman added: “Motorpoint Arena is a separate entity to the council and is solely responsible for decisions around event programming.”
Prosecutors in the US said in January they would not file charges against Manson, after a long-running investigation into allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney, said the allegations were too old under the relevant law and the evidence is not sufficient to charge the 56-year-old rocker.
LA County sheriff’s detectives had said early in 2021 that they were investigating Manson over alleged incidents between 2009 and 2011 in West Hollywood, where Manson lived at the time. Manson denied the claims and described them as “falsehoods”.
