The Orwells have issued a statement denying allegations of abuse.
A thread on Reddit went viral across the weekend, containing numerous allegations against the American indie rock group.
Due to play a show in Chicago this week, the band opted to cancel the date before issuing a statement denying recent claims.
Out of respect to our friends at the Metro we will be cancelling our November show. All ticket buyers will be refunded immediately.
— The Orwells (@TheOrwells) August 27, 2018
Handed to Pitchfork, it reads: "…the accusations of sexual assault are completely unfounded. No member of this band has ever acted without consent or maliciously taken advantage of anyone."
Check it out below.
It’s come to our attention that certain allegations of abuse have been made against one or more of us on social media and in social circles of Chicago. We’d like to first state that sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent. We do not take these accusations lightly and consider this matter incredibly serious. We emphatically deny these baseless allegations brought as a personal attack against us.
While callow altercations and vulgar language we’ve used in the past must be recognized and owned up to, the accusations of sexual assault are completely unfounded. No member of this band has ever acted without consent or maliciously taken advantage of anyone. We encourage anyone who’s been affected by sexual abuse to speak up and make their abusers known; however we also encourage everyone to be cautious of the things they read and say on the Internet. No victim of abuse should be hesitant to make their voice heard and if someone does feel that we’ve hurt them, we encourage them to contact us properly and privately (not via social media or anonymously), as to respect their identity.
Sincerely, Matt, Mario, Dominic, Henry, and Grant The Orwells
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