Turnstile address “cowardly” pepper-spray incident
During a show on Brown’s Island in Virginia, a 15-year-old Turnstile fan was pepper-sprayed as he attempted to join the band on stage. The band have now deemed it a “cowardly action”.
During a show in September, a law enforcement officer pepper-sprayed a fan who was attempting to pass the barrier. Turnstile are known for inviting the audience on stage for their song ‘Birds’.
The blast from the pepper spray was directed at a singular individual; video footage showed the knock-on impact on other fans at the barrier. Turnstile bassist and vocalist Franz Lyons also had to shield his eyes during the incident.
At the time, Richmond Sheriff Antionette Irving told CBS 6 she was launching an investigation into the incident. She shared: “We are reviewing the concert activity and any allegations related to any incident.” The team then refused to respond to any questions.
Now, speaking with The Guardian, Turnstile have addressed the issue. Frontman Brendan Yates insisted that the incident was “a cowardly action from an officer coming in and spraying a 15-year-old kid and then walking away – I don’t think that’s an isolated event.”
He continued, “But at our shows, it was a new thing. It’s something that we strive to keep away.”
Yates went on to add, “You can’t really control things like that when they happen. But I think we do our best to always be very eyes open for things. Sometimes, it’s the nature of big events and people coming together.”
After releasing their new album Never Enough earlier this year, the band will undertake a UK and European tour in October. Starting at Dublin’s National Stadium, the punk band will then bring their high-energy show to London’s Alexandra Palace, heading to Paris and Lisbon before wrapping up in Madrid on November 27th. The UK shows will boast support from High Vis and The Garden.
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