Photo: WENN
Mumford & Sons have spoken out in disgust, after a festival they were headlining this weekend saw multiple reported rapes and sexual assaults.
Sweden's Bravalla Festival in Norkopping saw five women report rapes, while a further 12 claim to have been sexually assaulted. Mumford were headlining, alongside performances from The 1975, Biffy Clyro, Bastille and more.
Now, Mumford & Sons have taken to Facebook to threaten that they may never play the festival again.
"We're appalled to hear what happened at the Bravalla Festival last weekend," they wrote. "Festivals are a celebration of music and people, a place to let go and feel safe doing so. We're gutted by these hideous reports."
They added: "We won't play at this festival again until we've had assurances from the police and organisers that they're doing something to combat what appears to be a disgustingly high rate of reported sexual violence.
"M, W, B & T"
Fellow performer Zara Larsson also spoke out to slam rape that was happening during her set: “Fuck you who shamelessly raped a girl in the audience . You deserve to burn in hell. Fuck you for making girls feel insecure when they go to a festival. I hate guys. Hate hate hate.”
She continued: “How am I supposed to take it seriously when you say ‘not all men’, ‘I’m a nice guy, I don't rape’? Where does all the ‘nice guys’ go when girls are raped? Are you too busy telling women how nice you are?
“It's not fucking hard to be generalised. It's hard to feel insecure about a festival where you just wanna go to have fun and enjoy. BUT YOU CAN'T, BECAUSE OF MEN. UGH.”
Meanwhile, neighbouring festival, Putte i Parken, saw at least 35 groping incidents - meaning there were over 40 sexual assault incidents across Swedish festivals last weekend.
Anti-rape charity Nattskiftet spokeswoman Lisen Andreasson Florman told Swedish news agency TT: “Festival organisers must take this seriously. After quite some time, they’re on their way to understanding it. But very little is happening.”
The festivals are yet to respond to the claims.
On Friday 8 July, Mumford & Sons will perform at British Summer Time festival in Hyde Park with special guests Alabama Shakes, Wolf Alice, Mystery Jets, Nick Mulvey, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Baaba Maal & more. Get your Mumford & Sons British Summer Time Hyde Park shows here.
