Morrissey faces backlash over extremist right-wing pin on 'Tonight Show'
Morrissey has come under fire for his recent appearance on The Tonight Show. However, it is not the performance itself that has fans up in arms. In fact, it appears as though a badge symbolizing extremist right-wing group For Britain is the catalyst for the recent backlash.
In a story from NME, this is not the first time the Smiths frontman sported the For Britain badge. Last week, Morrissey was spotted outside of his Broadway residency wearing the pin.
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Since the two instances, fans have taken to social media to share their thoughts on his support for For Britain.
Here is the racist Morrissey wearing an actual For Britain badge. If you don’t know who For Britain are, they’re a political party that Nigel Farage (!) claims are made up of “Nazis and racists”. Last year the holocaust denier Ingrid Carlqvist spoke at their party conference pic.twitter.com/imMUF8u7R8
— James McMahon (@jamesjammcmahon) May 9, 2019
Just Morrissey there, wearing an actual fucking For Britain badge pic.twitter.com/A33h1GunYq
— Fergal Kinney (@fergal_41) May 8, 2019
Morrissey has been ruining Morrissey for me for YEARS.
— Mary Humphreys (@maryhumphreys) May 14, 2019
On the flip side, some argue that Morrissey’s opinions should not warrant such a response.
My final word on Morrissey. pic.twitter.com/LQQtFZHNFM
— Grey Gordon (@greyxgordon) May 14, 2019
Great to see #Morrissey triggering the hateful Left. https://t.co/Y4pwrwbizW
— David Vance (@DVATW) May 10, 2019
Ⓜ️ The same old voices spouting the same inane diatribes against #Morrissey because (shock-horror!) he has an opinion on politics. I’m starting to suspect they don’t have a clue about the politics; they’re just not used to artists who are actually unafraid to THINK for themselves
— Fiona Dodwell (Author) ✉ (@Angel_Devil982) May 9, 2019
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According to Stereogum, For Britain is a right-wing party in the UK that originated in 2017 by anti-Muslim activist Anne Marie Waters after a group of people separated from UKIP, another right-wing assembly. Additionally, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage allegedly described Waters’ supporters as “Nazis and racists.”
Aside from the badge’s appearances over the past few weeks, Morrissey gave For Britain support last year on his website, according to Stereogum.
“Please give them a chance. Listen to them,” Morrissey says in the post. “Do not be influenced by the tyrannies of the MSM who will tell you that For Britain are racist or fascist — please believe me, they are the very opposite!!! Please do not close your mind.”
You can watch the video of Morrissey’s Tonight Show performance below.
What do you think of Morrissey’s support for For Britain? Sound off in the comments below.
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