The popular punk band Anti-Flag drifted minutes after the lead singer was under the radar for alleged sexual assault allegations. The band has had a solid reputation and has been going strong since 1988.
The Pennsylvania-based band was founded by Justin Sane. It debuted in 1966 with the album Die for the Government. They started out as a clandestine band and developed a long fandom history.
Reportedly, in a recent episode of the Enough podcast, a woman called the lead singer (not revealed) of a political punk band. The woman revealed that she was raped and abused by the vocalist. However, she didn’t bring forward the name of the band or even the vocalist, but the hints she gave all pointed towards the Anti-Flag. On July 19, the band announced their split through Patreon.
What Was in the Enough Podcast That Broke Anti-Flag?
Enough is a highly viewed podcast show that talks about abuse, harassment, and assaults and how the victims have coped with them. In the latest episode of the podcast, Kristina Sarhadi appeared, who is a holistic therapist, reiki master, social worker, and writer.
The podcast shared Kristina’s story revealing –
Kristina found salvation in the punk community as an escape from her home life. But when she finally met her idol, the singer of a political punk band that helped shape her values, instead of treating her like part of the community, he raped her. Kristina describes the details of that night, how it changed the trajectory of her life, and how she interacts with music.
In the podcast, Kristina shares that her first meeting with the lead singer was unforgettable. The lead singer jumped off the stage and greeted the audience. He walked to Kristina, asked her whereabouts, and shared that he would be taking part in a music festival in her neighborhood.
He made an effort to woo her and make her feel secure. It was clear that Kristina was in awe of the punk band singer, who had been her childhood hero. She loved hanging out with him. They both used to hang out with him quite often, but he never implied that they were in a relationship.
Kristina revealed in the podcast that –
I was brutally raped, and he kept attacking me violently. I was screaming and asking him to stop, but he didn’t. The incident was the most terrifying, disturbing, and confusing thing I had ever experienced.
People are tweeting-
What Must Have Happened Between the Band?
The band announced their split on Patreon and posted –
Anti-Flag has disbanded. The Patreon has been switched into a mode where it will no longer charge the monthly fee. I will begin to process refunds to all patrons in the coming weeks. Once all refunds are processed the Patreon page will also be removed.
The podcast and band split took place on the same day, one after the other (too many coincidences!). Fans across the world are anticipating that the podcast must have acted as the last nail in the coffin. They have all decided to move in separate directions rather than covering each other’s acts.
The official statement about refunds and further clarification is still pending. What are your views on the disbandment? Was Anti-Flag planning to split for a long time?
Let us know your stance on this in the comments section below.
Source: Spotify