Ronnie Radke reported to police for “unacceptable” videos about Australian politicians
Ronnie Radke was reported to Tasmania police over “unacceptable” videos he made about Australian politicians.
The incident stemmed from the mayor of Launceston, Matthew Garwood, sharing a photo of him meeting the controversial Falling In Reverse frontman on March 16. It wasn’t met with a particularly warm reception and Garwood subsequently apologised for sharing it.
On Friday (March 21), Radke retweeted a report filed by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) in which Councillors Andrea Dawkins and Lindi McMahon express concern for Launceston women who were upset about the photo’s potential implications given Radke’s past controversies. He has previously faced allegations of abuse, rape, assault and transphobia, all of which he has consistently denied.
In response to the post, Radke wrote: “Imagine abc news grasping at straws since their ratings are so bad they have to do articles about the mayor of Tasmania taking a picture with me. Hey @ABC I’m bigger than you. And have more of an impact. Ain’t nothing yall propagandist can do. Fuck you.”
He later shared a video in which he called the network “propaganda pieces of shit cucks” and told fans to give Dworkin “the much needed bullying she deserves.”
“I’m coming for you next. Australia councilmens and all of you, fuck you… You guys are such fucking pussy ass bitches,” he said before addressing McMahon. “Are you fucking kidding me, you ugly fucking shill cunt piece of shit blockhead disgusting fucking human? Fuck you. Do you even know a fucking single thing about me? You know I’ve been accused of gangraping a woman and they had to do DNA evidence within the hour that I was accused and then they fucking found out that I did not do this and she was lying? And then I had to sue her for millions of dollars?
“Do you understand that everything you read may or may not be fucking true, you stupid bitch? You’re a disgrace to your entire city and town and I’m gonna make sure that you fucking feel this one.”
Later in the video, he shared a photo of Dworkin’s phone number and email address. “[I] would hate for that to get you and for you to get, like, a ton of emails and calls about how – you wanna talk about fucking equality, bitch? Why am I not included, you fucking Lego-headed bitch. . . . Fuck all your councilmen and fuck ABC News for you propaganda machine. I’m coming back with a vengeance with that shit.”
On March 22, Radke posted another video. “@girlcalledcatie and @lindimcmahon can both get it too. Y’all deserve this shit I just fueled your fucking economy and this is the thanks I get. Getting called a predator and abuser by your councilman. A musician. your councilman and you make your entire state and country look stupid as shit,” he wrote in the caption.
He went on to calls her a “moon-faced c**t” and “disfigured” while showing a picture of Sloth from The Goonies. From there, he suggested that the ABC “step down from office”
Now, Rolling Stone Australia and Blunt Magazine have said that Radke has been reported to Tasmania police.
City of Launceston CEO Sam Johnson confirmed this on the official City of Launceston Instagram account.
“The City of Launceston condemns the dangerous and irresponsible actions of US singer Ronnie Radke, who has used his social media platform to incite harassment and abuse against elected councillors,” the post began.
“His recent Instagram video – which calls on his followers to target and intimidate Councillors who expressed concerns over a photo with the Mayor – is not only reckless but entirely unacceptable.
“Councillors have a duty to represent the interests of the community without fear of intimidation or abuse. No individual – celebrity or otherwise – has the right to weaponise their platform against those who exercise their democratic right to voice concerns.
“Mr Radke’s actions place undue risk on the safety and wellbeing of Councillors and their families, creating a hostile environment that goes against the principles of free speech, accountability, and civil discourse.
“The council will not tolerate threats or harassment directed at its elected members or staff. We will be working closely with Tasmania Police to monitor the situation and ensure that those responsible for any abusive or threatening behavior face appropriate consequences.
“We call on Mr Radke to immediately retract his inflammatory statements and take responsibility for the harm his words have caused. We’ve reported the video to Instagram, and are urging this and any other social media platforms to take swift action in addressing the misuse of their services to incite targeted harassment.
“The City of Launceston is committed to serving our community with integrity and transparency. Attempts to intimidate or silence Councillors or staff will not succeed and we will continue to champion the values of democracy, respect, and public service.”
Falling In Reverse were supposed to play their first ever UK shows in December, but the tour was cancelled when Radke was denied visa entry over his time in prison.
According to Gov.uk, applicants who were “convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas” which they served “at least 12 months or more” will get their visa applications refused.
Per Billboard, a 2006 altercation in Nevada led to the death of Michael Cook, an 18-year-old, which resulted in a probation sentence for Radke, who participated in the fight but was not directly involved in the fatal act. However, it was two years later that Radke violated that probation, resulting in a two-and-a-half year prison sentence which he served between 2008 and 2010.
In response, Radke claimed that the cancellation would have a “giant economic hit” on the UK.
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Emma Wilkes
NME
