Marilyn Manson Speaks On Using A Fake Rifle at San Bernardino Concert
In a statement to Variety, the singer Marilyn Manson spoke about his use of a fake rifle during a concert this weekend at Knotfest in San Bernardino, California, saying it was an “attempt to make a statement” and that it was “an act of theater.”
“In an era where mass shootings have become a nearly daily occurrence, this was an act of theater in an attempt to make a statement about how easily accessible semi-automatic weapons are and how seeing them has become normalized,” he said. “My art has always been a reaction to popular culture and my way to make people think about the horrible things that happen in this world. My performance was not meant to be disrespectful or show any insensitivity.”
Video from the show showed Marilyn traversing the stage in a wheelchair, pushed by a man dressed in scrubs.
He added: “The prop microphone I used on stage was handed to me with the approval of a police officer. My empathy goes out to anyone who has been affected by the irresponsible and reprehensible misuse of REAL guns.”