Singer-songwriter Morrissey has kicked off a wave of boycotts, protests and criticism in recent years over his controversial statements, which include calling Halal certifiers ISIS supporters, showing support for the far-right For Britain political party, and statements defending Harvey Weinstein, who is accused of sexual assault, and Kevin Spacey, who is accused of sexual misconduct.
A couple of protesters in Portland, Oregon decided they had enough with his behavior however, and joined in on the protests against the singer. In a video that surfaced right after his show in the city, one protester is shown waving a sign that stated “Bigmouth Indeed,” and an anti-For Britain poster. In response, Morrissey refused to perform his set until the protesters were ejected from the venue.
“Get out! Get out! Get out! We don’t need you!” Morrissey stated in a video showing the confrontation. “We don’t need you! We don’t need you!”
According to NME, these protesters were calling out his support for the For Britain party, which was founded by anti-Islam activist Anne Marie Waters, who has advocated for the reduction of Muslim birthrates, ending immigration from Muslim migrants and accusing the EU of conspiring to turn Europe into an Islamic state.
Fans and prominent musicians such as Billy Bragg have denounced Morrissey, with Bragg calling the former Smith’s frontman a “white supremacist” earlier this year. When asked if he was racist in an interview earlier this year, Morrissey stated:“The word is meaningless now. Everyone ultimately prefers their own race … does this make everyone racist?”