The political punk band Anti-Flag and their founding singer-guitarist, Justin Sane, have both made statements after claims of sexual assault were apparently made against the bandleader.
Justin Sane has denied the allegations.
Last week, Anti-Flag suddenly deleted all of their social media accounts as well as their official band website, announcing on their Patreon page that they had broken up after releasing 13 studio albums together over the last 25 years.
See their full statements further down this post.
READ MORE: Anti-Flag Break Up, Delete Their Social Media Accounts + Official Website
The allegations that appear to be against Justin Sane seemingly stem from the July 19 episode of a podcast called enough., wherein a woman named Kristina Sarhadi, without naming the artist or band specifically, claims that she was raped by the singer of a political punk band she once admired, as listeners on Reddit have pointed out.
Justin Sane’s Statement
In a statement that emerged Wednesday (July 26) on his Instagram page, Justin Sane said, “Recently, there have been claims of sexual assault made against me and I can tell you that these stories are categorically false. I have never engaged in a sexual relationship that was not consensual, nor have I ever been approached by a woman after a sexual encounter and been told I had in any way acted without her consent or violated her in any way.”
He continued, “Sexual assault is real and has a devastating impact on victims. I have devoted my entire adult life to standing up for these victims as well as those suffering oppression and inequality, who are victimized, demeaned, and abused. I have always been, and will always be, that person. The statements being told about me are the antithesis of what I believe and how I have conducted myself throughout my life.”
The singer added, “In regard to Anti-flag disbanding, as a band, the decision was made that under these circumstances it would be impossible to continue.”
Anti-Flag’s Statement
In a conjoining statement, the other band members said, “We have been shocked, confused, saddened and absolutely heartbroken from the moment we heard these allegations. While we believe this is extremely serious, in the last 30 years we have never seen Justin be violent or aggressive toward women. This experience has shaken us to our core.”
They added, “We understand and apologize that this response may not have been quick enough for some people. This is new territory for all of us and it is taking time for us to process the situation.”
Help is available if you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault. Chat with RAINN online or call 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673).
Justin Sane + Anti-Flag Statements
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