Meloni Sues Rock ’n’ Roller for Defamation

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is suing Brian Molko, the lead singer of London-formed rock band Placebo, after he launched an expletive-filled rant against the Italian prime minister at a music festival near Turin last month.

Molko spoke in Italian to a crowd of around 5,000 people at the Sonic Park festival in Stupinigi, branding the prime minister a fascist and racist “piece of s**t.” Cheers came from the audience, but local prosecutors were less impressed, soon after starting an investigation into the incident for “defamation of [public] institutions,” according to reports.

Meloni has had some experience in suing the well-known for vilification. Once again, she has decided against taking the comments on the chin and filed a lawsuit. She has yet to comment publicly on the situation.

Most papers outside of Italy were unclear about what prompted Molko’s comments, with several noting that Meloni heads “Italy’s most rightwing government since the Second World War.” The Daily Telegraph adds, however, that the Placebo singer also “called for more rights for transgender and non-binary people” during his performance. It is possible, then, that Molko has taken a particular dislike towards the prime minister’s stance on “gender ideology.”

The singer could face a fine of between €1,000 and €5,000 if found guilty of defamation. Some defamation cases can also carry custodial sentences.