Wembley stadium faces growing calls to cancel controversial Marilyn Manson concert

Anton Georgiou, a Brent Councillor and leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called on the venue and Brent Council to oppose the show after raising “serious concerns” about the decision to give the musician a platform.

Manson, whose real name is Brian Hugh Warner, is set to face a jury trial after the proposed event amid ongoing allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse made by multiple women.

These include former personal assistant Ashley Walters, Westworld actor Evan Rachel Wood and Game of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco, who have made allegations about Manson through civil lawsuits in the US and public statements.

The 57-year-old faces a criminal trial next year following sexual assault allegations made by Ms Walters, but has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying the claims are false.

Manson has been billed as Slipknot’s supporting act for their July 2027 Wembley show, despite fans threatening to boycott the show after the announcement.

Since the North London Councillor’s calls for the show to be reconsidered, he has amassed 13 signatures from domestic abuse and sexual abuse charities for a new letter to Wembley Stadium.

Cllr Anton Georgiou standing in front of Wembley Stadium

LDRS

Reiterating concerns, the Cllr said: “Mr Warner wasn’t found not guilty when previous lawsuits were brought against him by four women – the cases were thrown out as they exceeded the statute of limitations.

“He will be heading back to court in November 2027 to face a jury trial after a US judge reinstated a lawsuit against him under a new law enabling old sexual assault cases to be heard.

“A performer that continues to be accused of such serious crimes should not play at our national stadium until they are cleared of all charges. If Mr Warner is convicted at the upcoming trial, this would reflect extremely badly on the stadium and risk untold reputational damage.

“In any other walk of life, an individual subject to these types of horrific allegations would be suspended from their profession, pending the outcome of a full and proper investigation. Why should music stars be treated differently?”

Two signatories of the renewed letter, Chris Green OBE and Björn Suttka, founders of Male Allies Challenging Sexism (MACS), said: “Since June 2023 Male Allies Challenging Sexism (MACS) have run the ‘No Abusers on Stage’ campaign to raise awareness about male musicians and celebrities who continue being put on stages despite women and girls having testified that they are (sexual) abusers.

“These public endorsements send a harmful message. We are campaigning for Manson to be dropped from the scheduled performance of Slipknot at Wembley because of the testimonies by over a dozen women, his forthcoming sexual assault court case in November of 2027, and to secure the safety and wellbeing of concertgoers and women and girls across the UK.”

Other signatories include Stephen, No Stage for Abusers, Angela Walker, Snap Survivors Network, Tracey Williams & Carre Sutton, The Model Alliance, Lenora Claire, Victim’s Rights Advocacy, Samantha Maloney & Yara Wilde, Sexual Predator Accountability Institute, Dr. Caroline Heldman, Stand With Survivors, Dr. Hermina Nedalescu & Jovana Trninic, Prosopon Healing, Nomi Abadi, Female Composer Safety League, Toshonna Ross, Courageous Women Association, Michael Conroy, Men at Work, Melinda Tankard Reist, Collective Shout, and Vickie Robertson BEM of Kaleidoscopic UK.

Manson is set to perform at Wembley Stadium in July 2027

Getty

When asked to respond to the renewed calls, Wembley Stadium said that events are agreed several months in advance and that the selection of support acts is at the discretion of the promoter and the headline artist.

They reiterated their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of their guests, colleagues and the wider community.

A representative also said that they have contacted the councillor to meet and discuss his concerns.

Previously, the Liberal Democrat Leader called on Brent Council to join him in calls to reconsider the performance.

Marilyn Manson

A spokesperson for the council said at the time: “Decisions about who performs at Wembley Stadium are ultimately a matter for the venue and event organisers, rather than Brent Council, which has no direct control over commercial bookings.

“That does not diminish our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, which has no place in Brent. We are crystal clear about our values, and that is why we devote significant time, resources and effort to preventing abuse, supporting survivors and making our borough safer.

“We recognise the concerns raised about this performance and would encourage the headline act and event organisers to reflect carefully on the feedback from Brent residents and survivors of violence and abuse when making decisions about their performers.

“Our commitment to standing up for women and girls is unwavering, and we will continue to demonstrate that through our actions.”