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Approximately 150 demonstrators converged outside a Bern stadium on Saturday, endeavoring to vociferously overshadow the throngs of Rammstein enthusiasts who were streaming in to witness their adored band, undeterred by a burgeoning tide of sexual assault allegations.
In the vicinity of Bern’s storied Wankdorf Stadium, a resolute contingent of approximately 150 protesters convened this Saturday, engaging in vociferous verbal jousts against a deluge of ardent Rammstein devotees, who descended upon the venue with undeterred fervor despite the tumultuous maelstrom of sexual assault allegations enveloping the band.
Wielding banners emblazoned with messages such as “I believe her” and “Stop the rape culture,” the petite yet fervent assembly gesticulated with upraised middle fingers directed towards the concert venue, and by extension, the veritable sea of somberly-attired, black-clad acolytes of the German metal leviathan. This indignant riposte was reciprocated in kind by the fans, as a phalanx of police officers maintained a thin boundary between the factions.
An estimated 40,000 zealous patrons, whose anticipation reached fever pitch, eagerly awaited entrance to the hallowed Wankdorf Stadium, which was poised to play host to a sold-out spectacle. Moreover, an encore performance was slated for the following day, both of which rank amongst the initial concerts that Rammstein has graced since an ominous turn of events.
Notably, earlier this week, Berlin’s judicial authorities commenced an investigation targeting the band’s frontman, Till Lindemann, precipitated by an alarming surge of sexual assault allegations leveled against the 60-year-old vocalist. A coterie of women has emerged, recounting harrowing narratives of being ostensibly singled out during concerts, and subsequently ensnared in a web of incapacitation through drugs and coerced into sexual engagements with Lindemann, purportedly during the band’s post-concert soirées.
These alleged transgressions ostensibly transpired during Rammstein’s extensive 35-venue European tour. The band, an indomitable juggernaut within the industrial metal genre, is renowned for its relentless cacophony of grinding guitar riffs, audacious antics that brazenly flout societal taboos, and a theatrical extravaganza punctuated by pyrotechnic virtuosity.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, which Lindemann has strenuously repudiated, the legions of Rammstein’s unwavering adherents, bedecked in band merchandise and often bearing tattoos as a testament to their allegiance, remained unfazed.
“This revelation has not cast a pallor upon our spirits. Our dispositions remain unshaken,” asserted Marie Rouillon, a 51-year-old French national who, accompanied by her consort Arnaud, partook in the festivities with unalloyed exuberance.
Marie and Arnaud, a couple with an unwavering ardor for Rammstein spanning 15 years and seven previous concerts, admitted they would be aghast should the allegations be substantiated. Nonetheless, Marie postulated that such a revelation would unlikely dampen their resolve to attend the band’s concerts.
Corroborating this sentiment was Lara Andermatt, a 20-year-old aficionado, who remarked: “The veracity of the allegations remains uncertain, but my fervor for this performance is indubitable.” Her enthusiasm was palatable as she was on the precipice of witnessing her beloved band perform live for the first time. If the accusations were to be corroborated, she admitted that, while it would be inexcusable, her patronage of Rammstein’s music would persist.
In stark contrast, Rachel Weyermann, a 24-year-old Bernese attending her fourth Rammstein concert, expressed that conclusive evidence supporting the allegations would sever her ties with the band. “Knowledge of its veracity would render this my swan song,” she declared.
The maelstrom of controversy was ignited when a young Irish woman divulged via social media an account of being drugged and propositioned by Lindemann during a backstage soiree in Vilnius. This disclosure acted as a catalyst, prompting an outpouring of congruent narratives across digital platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
A 20-year-old woman, who identified herself as Adriana, shared that she had been solicited for preferential placement at the concert and access to an after-show gathering. Though she declined the overture, she expressed her eagerness to witness the band she has revered for nearly a decade in what she envisaged as a chapter-closing experience.
In the wake of the allegations, a series of Rammstein after-show festivities in Munich were unequivocally cancelled. The status of potential post-concert events in Bern remained shrouded in ambiguity.
Young Socialists Switzerland (JS), along with the Social Democratic Party’s youth wing and an amalgamation of feminist collectives, mobilized to implore the concert promoters to abrogate the Bern performances through a petition, which garnered in excess of 7,500 signatures.
Mathilde Mottet, the deputy secretary of JS, conveyed her profound dismay at the failure to halt the performances. “It is an affront to propriety that 40,000 individuals would congregate to spectate a potential violator,” she asserted during the protest.
Armed with a megaphone, Mottet, along with fellow demonstrators, orchestrated an impassioned cavalcade of dances and chants. The cacophony was met with derisive jeers from a section of the attendees as they thronged into the stadium. One chant that resonated vehemently was “Till Verschwindemann” which, when translated, bears the import: “Till, get lost, man.”
With AFP
