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 season’s Sonic Park pageant. Now, after prosecutors in Turin opened an investigation into the claims, he’s being charged with defamation for “contempt of the establishments,” studies Italian newspaper La Stampa. That offense—defaming the Italian authorities, parliament, courts, or military—carries a high quality of as much as €5,000 ($5,240 USD) and is topic to direct summons to trial.
Meloni spearheads the nationalist Brothers of Italy celebration, 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 throughout the World Conflict II. Underneath 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 data and remark.
