Chvrches‘ singer Lauren Mayberry has revealed that the band now require a police presence at their shows after receiving rape and death threats from supporters of Chris Brown and Tyga.
Last week, the Scottish electro-pop trio said that they were “upset, confused and disappointed” at Marshmello’s decision to work with Chris Brown and Tyga – having worked with the EDM star themselves on recent single ‘Here With Me‘.
“We are really upset, confused and disappointed by Marshmello’s choice to work with Tyga and Chris Brown,” said the band on social media. “We like and respect Mello as a person but working with people who are predators and abusers enables, excuses and ultimately tacitly endorses that behaviour. That is not something we can or will stand behind.”
Brown then fired back at the band, calling them a “bunch of losers” on Instagram.
“These are the type of people I wish walked in front of a speeding bus full of mental patients,” he wrote. “Keep grovelling over you own insecurities and hatred. IM BLACK AND PROUD. AND I KNOW ITS HURTS THAT U GUYS ARE STRUGGLING WIT LIFE OR PEACE SO U ARE FORCED TO SEE MY SUCCESS. You aren’t even #2 (REMEMBER 2nd place only means YOU LOST FIRST! TA-TA. GOODDAY PEASANTS.”
Having shared images of abusive messages that she has since received, Mayberry has now said that the band have had to increase security at their shows as a result of the threats.
“I am not staying in my own home when we finish tour because the threats we have received have reached such a scale,” wrote Mayberry on Twitter in response to a journalist. “We have to have the police at our shows now. If that’s what I deserve for saying mainstream music should be more morally conscious, then so be it.”
She continued: “And again, it is not you who is having to have police presence at shows and advance security in their actual own real life outside of a band persona.”
I am not staying in my own home when we finish tour because the threats we have received have reached such a scale. We have to have the police at our shows now. If that’s what I deserve for saying mainstream music should be more morally conscious, then so be it. You’re right.
— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) April 29, 2019
And again, it is not you who is having to have police presence at shows and advance security in their actual own real life outside of a band persona.
— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) April 29, 2019
Mayberry has highlighted some of the shocking abuse that the band have received with screen grabs of messages:
— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) April 27, 2019
Whore, cunt, bitch and the KKK all in one sentence. Do I get a prize? Bingo? Someone saying they will “bash your skull in” for denouncing domestic abuse is somewhat ironic… #NotSorry pic.twitter.com/CY3wRBfnTi
— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) April 26, 2019
In February 2009, Chris Brown was found guilty of felony assault after attacking Rihanna on their way to the Grammy Awards Ceremony. Earlier this year, he denied allegations of rape at a hotel in Paris, later filing a defamation suit against the accuser before many believed he was selling merchandise that appeared to mock the alleged victim.
Tyga was sued for sexual assault by a woman who appeared in his 2012 for ‘Make It Nasty’. Replying to the band’s original post, Tyga wrote: “Where [sic] all God’s children. Everyone makes mistakes no ones perfect. Let’s Keep the energy positive.”