Anti-Flag singer Justin Sane denies sexual assault accusations
Justin Sane, former frontman of Anti-Flag, has labelled the sexual assault claims made against him as “categorically false”.
Last week, the punk band announced their decision to part ways without explanation. Now, Sane has responded to accusations made on social media against him which led to their split. The politically charged group released their debut album Die for the Government in 1996 and released a total of 13 LPs throughout their career.
In a statement, Sane said: “Recently, there have been claims of sexual assault made against me and I can tell you that these stories are categorically false. I have never engaged in a sexual relationship that was not consensual, nor have I ever been approached by a woman after a sexual encounter and been told I had in any way acted without her consent or violated her in any way. Now that I have had a few days to absorb the initial shock, I am making this statement to set the record straight.
He added: “Sexual assault is real and has a devasting impact on victims. I have devoted my entire adult life to standing up for these victims as well as those suffering oppression and inequality, who are victimized, demeaned, and abused. I have always been, and will always be, that person. The statements being told about me are the antithesis of what I believe and how I have conducted myself throughout my life.”
The singer finished by saying: “In regard to Anti-flag disbanding, as a band, the decision was made that under these circumstances it would be impossible to continue. I want to thank my family and friends, and the many, many fans, musicians, and bands who have reached out to me to offer their support and help.”
In another statement, Pat Thetic, Chris Barker and Chris Head from the band said: “A core tenet of the band Anti-Flag is to listen to and believe all survivors of sexual violence and abuse. The recent allegations about Justin are in direct contradiction to that tenet. Therefore, we felt the only immediate option was to disband.”
They continued: “We have been shocked, confused, saddened and absolutely heartbroken from the moment we heard these allegations. While we believe this is extremely serious, in the last 30 years we have never seen Justin be violent or aggressive toward women. This experience has shaken us to our core.”
“We understand and apologize that this response may not have been quick enough for some people. This is new territory for all of us and it is taking time for us to process the situation. It was a privilege for us to be in the band Anti-Flag, as we seek to find our path forward we wish healing to all survivors,” the trio concluded.
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