Marilyn Manson says that he pretended to shoot into the audience with a dummy assault weapon during his performance at this past weekend’s Ozzfest Meets Knotfest as “an act of theater in an attempt to make a statement.”
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Last night’s show at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernadino marked Manson‘s first performance after he broke his leg in two places a few weeks ago during a concert in New York. At Ozzfest Meets Knotfest, Manson performed in a wheelchair while wearing a hospital gown and pointed a fake assault rifle at the audience during the song “We Know Where You Fucking Live”.
On Monday afternoon, the 48-year-old singer issued a statement about the move, saying: “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.
“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.
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“My performance was not meant to be disrespectful or show any insensitivity. 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.”