Kasabian hot on the heels of Richard Madeley

[Jeanhatchet]

Kasabian issued a woeful tweet statement before Tom Meighan, their singer, was convicted of domestic abuse and (insultingly to his victim) given 200 hours of community service.

Apparently she refused to support a prosecution and so the sentence was lighter. The judge said he "could" have given a jail sentence and of course he SHOULD have.

It takes abused women a long time to look back and dismantle what was happening to them. Whilst they do that they should still receive justice appropriate to the crime against them.

But ... point here is that between men who should know better ... Madeley ... and men who just want to make money and not bother themselves with women's "problems" ...Kasabian .. it's clear that there is still an awful lot of awareness raising to do.

Kasabian initially issued a statement talking about "Personal issues ..affecting his behaviour" without condemning that behaviour or mentioning support for the woman affected by it. They have been slammed extensively and have tried to amend with something even worse. It ignores the victim ... mentions domestic abuse without any level of understanding beyond the words themselves and offers zero apology for the damage they have done to victims with their previously flippant post and without any message of support to Meighan's victim Vicky Agar.

There is still much work to be done.

I don't agree with you at all, OP.

They couldn't speak out before the court case had finished, they've sacked him, and they've put out a statement condemning his actions in no uncertain terms. They possibly felt that it wasn't their place to speak about the victim who might possibly want to maintain some small measure of privacy despite the fact that her name is now in all the papers. They quite clearly state that they are not the victim, thus reminding the fans that this isn't just about the band.

They have conveniently left out mention of the man and his actions.

This just isn't true.

Brushing attitudes around domestic abuse under the carpet because "just a band and what can they know or do" is a bit uncaring of victims. They said a really crap thing - slammed by Womens Aid - and have not really rectified with a simple

"We are sorry we didn't offer support for his victim Vicky Agar and we shouldn't have excused his abuse"

TBH it's a name I've kind of heard of but I don't know who they are, so I have o vested interest. I can't see anything to be outraged about here (except the actual DV, obviously).

They issued the first statement having sacked him before the court case. Most employers dont sack people for DV. It was very sensible not to add any detail and thereby jeopardise the case.

The second is very clear in it's condemnation IMO and as PP said, it would be wrong to try and become commentators on DV when their only experience is that they were once in a band with a perpetrator.

How do you know they haven’t supported Vicky Agar? They may have contacted her privately. You have no idea.
The statement they have made clearly shows that they condemn domestic abuse.

They said a really crap thing - slammed by Womens Aid

This is somewhat disingenuous. Their original statement was criticised by Women's Aid - rightly so, I think - but it is misleading to conflate that with their second statement released - rightly so - after the court case and the sentencing.

We are sorry we didn't offer support for his victim Vicky Agar

What gives you the right to presume that she wants her name bandied about on social media by the band that her abuser belongs to? I'd have condemned them if they'd done that!

This is somewhat disingenuous. Their original statement was criticised by Women's Aid - rightly so, I think - but it is misleading to conflate that with their second statement released - rightly so - after the court case and the sentencing

Yes. I said this. I said the second statement wasn't much better. It isn't.

What gives you the right to presume that she wants her name bandied about on social media by the band that her abuser belongs to? I'd have condemned them if they'd done that!

They haven't mentioned the victim at all. Almost like no one was affected by this other than the fans, Meaghan and themselves who are now "heartbroken". It is nearly portrayed as a crime that doesn't deserve punishment because the victim doesn't really understand that she was one. Now - I wonder how domestic abusers get away with it so often?

The fans seem to like the statement anyway .... so I'll just leave this fan to summarise ...

I said the second statement wasn't much better. It isn't.

In your opinion. Lots of people on this thread, including me, think the second statement is good.

You're inventing things to suit your narrative OP. That particular fan clearly didn't like the statement, if it said what you want to believe it does, he would have been fine with it surely?

Sounds like the first statement was given under strict legal advice. Say nothing more than the bare minimum words you have to ie dude left band

2nd statement

I can't see anything that excuses his abuse. The 1st statement is vague because it was precourt and they were likely told not to mention the legal stuff, and the 2bd statement clearly says dv isn't acceptable.

If they'd put her name out their, offered her their support etc they'd be skated for over stepping the mark.

@Jeanhatchet

The fans seem to like the statement anyway .... so I'll just leave this fan to summarise ...

But surely this process that their statement does condemn the guy,, given the idiot who replied is complaining he got in trouble for it

Richard Madeley needs to know when to keep his unqualified mouth well and truly shut when important issues come up, and stick with blethering on about the usual drivel that won't potentially harm people

Richard Madeley needs to know when to keep his unqualified mouth well and truly shut when important issues come up, and stick with blethering on about the usual drivel that won't potentially harm people

In your opinion. Lots of people on this thread, including me, think the second statement is good.*

Absolutely. It is my opinion. This is a site for opinions.

I've got to agree with many other posters, I just don't see the issue, they were probably instructed not to say to much before the court case, as is usual in similar circumstances, they thought he would produce his own statement which he didn't, so they then released a second statement condemning his behavior entirely.
Why would the victim want her name dragged through the mud again, I certainly wouldn't of it was me.
Sorry op I just don't see what you do.

I think the bands statement heaps shame on TM and rather classily doesn’t name the victim in a specific way so doesn’t drag her name into it. I think they did a good job keeping the focus on TM.

I think if they were to say more about DV or make a donation or something like that they would have been accused of virtual signalling.

I think they did a good job on the statement.

I think it an unfair op.

The band sacked him, and they don't know if the band will be able to continue as a result. And certainly maybe not as successfully.

They gave him the opportunity to explain what had happened rather than getting involved themselves. And it is for him to do rather than them. The responsibility lay primarily with him.

Also it needs to be considered the woman involved didn't really want the case to go ahead they may have felt getting involved was inappropriate or would draw more attention to her or because they are supporting her privately etc etc. We don't know.

In terms of wanting a career going forward, why shouldn't they? If your work colleague or friend was done for domestic abuse why should you suffer harm to your career too? Especially when they have said they couldn't condone his behaviour.

They've made it clear in their actions, first and second statement that they think his actions are appalling. They also will feel responsibility to fans over it, many of whom they will have relationships with and have shown loyalty for years.

The alternative is they could have stuck it out and tried to let it just blow over.

I think your op is having a go for the sake of it and being overly critical. I get the impression the band could never have done enough to satisfy.

Madely apologised

mobile.twitter.com/richardm56/status/1278020103163052032

Incredibly unfair OP and Incredibly unfair follow up posts.

It was perfectly obvious why the first statement was couched the way it was and the second statement really cannot be faulted. As others have said the OP is going out of her way by several miles to find fault where there isn't.

@Jeanhatchet

The fans seem to like the statement anyway .... so I'll just leave this fan to summarise ...

47k people liked their statement on twitter yet you focus on this on idiot.

You also claim they only put it out to save their career yet clearly this is a fan lost.

You're making this in to something it isn't.

I don't really know what more you expect them to do. As a pp pointed out if they had gone any further they'd probably have been dragged through the mud for virtue signalling.

That's a good letter. They couldn't say much before sentencing but were able to get out that they were sacking him before his conviction was announced. Clearest condemnation of a famous violent man I've seen.

On the thread about the letter in Harper's Bizarre a trans rights activist is being criticised for posting their own red ink editing to change it to be something completely different to push their own agenda. The poster's red ink editing on the Kasabian statement is no different.