In August 2023, Placebo’s Brian Molko was sued by Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni for calling her a “piece of shit, fascist, racist” throughout that summer time’s Sonic Park competition. Now, after prosecutors in Turin opened an investigation into the claims, he’s being charged with defamation for “contempt of the establishments,” stories Italian newspaper La Stampa. That offense—defaming the Italian authorities, parliament, courts, or military—carries a effective of as much as €5,000 ($5,240 USD) and is topic to direct summons to trial.
Meloni spearheads the nationalist Brothers of Italy get together, in addition to the hard-right coalition voted into energy in 2022. It’s largely thought of to be Italy’s most rightwing authorities since Benito Mussolini’s ruling in the course of the World Struggle II. Beneath Meloni’s management, Italy’s authorities has ordered municipalities to cease registering same-sex mother and father, vilified migrants and asylum seekers, and appointed Brothers of Italy loyalists to prime positions within the public broadcaster, in line with several New York Times articles.
Pitchfork has reached out to Placebo’s representatives for extra info and remark.
