The lead singer of Australian band, Teenage Mothers, was jailed last night after he was involved in a fight with some security guards. The band were supporting Faker on Saturday night at The Esplanade Hotel in Melbourne when the incident occurred.
The band have made a statement to Mess and Noise claiming the bouncers “repeatedly punched JK and repeatedly smashed our friend Tom’s head into the pavement.”
Statement made to Mess and Noise by Teenage Mothers:
“Before we played, the bouncers were physically abusive to some of JK’s friends. There is testimony from eyewitnesses. Onstage, JK shamed those aggressive security guards. He announced their badge numbers to the crowd. JK told the audience to stay away from them.
The gig went well. After the gig, I packed up backstage. Meanwhile, some of the security guards accosted JK, in revenge for his onstage comments. This is absolutely unacceptable! The singer in a punk band should be able to talk to the audience, without fear of being assaulted by disgruntled bouncers!
The bouncers threw JK outside and assaulted him. JK’s injures include broken ribs. JK fought back (in self defence). Several of his friends jumped in against the vengeful bouncers. There was a huge brawl in the street. We have objective eyewitness accounts of a bouncer repeatedly punching JK and repeatedly smashing our friend Tom’s head into the pavement.
The police arrived like it was the LA riots. A squad car, two divisional vans and a police riot bus drove onto the pavement outside the Espy! There were about 15 police there. JK was violently arrested, handcuffed, thrown into a van and locked in the jailhouse (along with two of his friends). He got fined $500 for being “drunk on the street” even though he was drinking beer at his own gig!
JK got out of jail last night and he will fight the charges in court.”
So far no one from The Esplanade Hotel have commented…