Falling In Reverse’s Ronnie Radke Reported to Tasmanian Police Following Rant Against Launceston City Councillors

Falling In Reverse vocalist Ronnie Radke has been reported to local authorities in Tasmania following a series of heated remarks directed at members of the Launceston City Council.

The controversy began when Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood faced criticism for attending a meet & greet with Radke during the band’s recent Australian tour. Due to Radke’s controversial past and outspoken nature, some city council members took issue with the mayor’s involvement, prompting Garwood to issue an apology, stating he regretted offending anyone by meeting with the musician.

Radke responded by launching into an expletive-filled tirade, directly targeting two city council members and Australian public broadcaster ABC over their coverage of the situation. He went as far as sharing the Instagram handle of one of the council members and encouraging his followers to harass her, stating:

“Go give [her] the much needed bullying she deserves.”

The councilor in question had initially criticized Garwood’s association with Radke, saying:

“I stand in solidarity of all the women who have suffered at the hands of violence whose voices are continually silenced while men like Ronnie Radke are given hero status.
I’m sure the women of Launceston who attended the launch of the 16 days of activism [against gendered violence] would be questioning the sincerity of the words spoken by our mayor on that day.”

Another councilor added:

“They are understandably perplexed why our mayor would stand in solidarity with a person convicted of parole violations associated with violence.”

It was these comments that set Radke off, leading him to target the city council members in a vicious social media rant.

In response, City of Launceston CEO Sam Johnson issued an official statement on March 21st, condemning Radke’s actions and confirming that the matter had been referred to the police:

“The City of Launceston condemns the dangerous and irresponsible actions of US singer Ronnie Radke, who has used his social media platform to incite harassment and abuse against elected councillors.

His recent Instagram video – which calls on his followers to target and intimidate Councillors who expressed concerns over a photo with the Mayor – is not only reckless but entirely unacceptable.

Councillors have a duty to represent the interests of the community without fear of intimidation or abuse. No individual – celebrity or otherwise – has the right to weaponise their platform against those who exercise their democratic right to voice concerns.

Mr Radke’s actions place undue risk on the safety and wellbeing of Councillors and their families, creating a hostile environment that goes against the principles of free speech, accountability, and civil discourse.

The council will not tolerate threats or harassment directed at its elected members or staff. We will be working closely with Tasmania Police to monitor the situation and ensure that those responsible for any abusive or threatening behavior face appropriate consequences.

We call on Mr Radke to immediately retract his inflammatory statements and take responsibility for the harm his words have caused. We’ve reported the video to Instagram, and are urging this and any other social media platforms to take swift action in addressing the misuse of their services to incite targeted harassment.

The City of Launceston is committed to serving our community with integrity and transparency. Attempts to intimidate or silence Councillors or staff will not succeed and we will continue to champion the values of democracy, respect, and public service.

Sam Johnson OAM
Chief Executive Officer
City of Launceston”

Radke, however, remained unapologetic, following up with another video on March 22nd, in which he doubled down on his stance and continued attacking his critics. At one point, he suggested that the city councilors’ comments about him were legally questionable, stating:

“You know that they’re literally libel in court just for defaming my name, just randomly.”

He also mocked the backlash, captioning his video:

“…Y’all deserve this shit I just fueled your fucking economy and this is the thanks I get. Getting called a predator and abuser by your councilman. A musician. Your councilman and you make your entire state and country look stupid as shit.”

With local police now involved, it remains to be seen if Radke’s social media tirade will lead to further action.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ronnie radke (@ronnieronnieradke)

---

Do you love independent bands, or are you in one? The Mosh Network is not just a rock/metal news website, but it doubles as an independent band directory, designed so that visitors can browse independent bands by not just subgenre, but location as well. It’s perfect to keep your finger on the pulse of your area’s hottest and newest bands or if you’re in a band, it’s a great way to find bands to network with! Click the banner below and start discovering bands all over the world, now!