By Rebel News | Created at 2025-04-01 03:13:10 | Updated at 2025-04-03 10:51:56
2 days ago
Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood is facing mounting pressure to resign after a photo with American musician Ronnie Radke at a concert meet and greet led to backlash from councillors and the local Chamber of Commerce.
Radke, the popular frontman of heavy metal band Falling in Reverse, has since threatened legal action against Launceston Council after being accused of using social media “to incite harassment and abuse against elected councillors.”
The controversy began when Garwood shared a photo of himself with Radke during the band's Australian tour. Critics, including councillors Lindi McMahon and Andrea Dawkins, used the photo to bring up Radke’s past assault charges as a way to pressure Garwood by association, despite the picture being taken at a fan meet-up.
“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,” McMahon said.
Radke responded on Instagram, calling Dawkins a “disgusting f--king human” and urging his 285,000 followers to give her “the much needed bullying she deserves.”
City of Launceston CEO Sam Johnson condemned Radke’s comments and confirmed police had been contacted. He described Radke’s remarks as “not only reckless but entirely unacceptable” and called for an apology.
Instead, Radke doubled down in a new video, accusing the council of using him as a “political pawn.”
“You need to apologise to me. I just sent you guys a fucking stop motion in an email to your entire office about how you guys are defaming my f--king name,” Radke said.
“This is a peaceful protest and all my fans, if you guys are doing these little death threats and shit, that is unacceptable. This is a peaceful protest and I want everyone to know and feel what I’m feeling right now. It is unacceptable that these people are using me as a political pawn.”
Radke ended his video with a legal threat: “This is a peaceful protest and you guys are going to get fucking sued for this shit. F--k you.”
Garwood distanced himself from Radke’s statements, saying: “The recent social media posts made by Ronnie Radke regarding City of Launceston Councillors were entirely his own and do not reflect my views in any way and I condemn the call for bullying and the way in which they have been delivered.”
On Monday, the Launceston Chamber of Commerce called for Garwood’s resignation. Chamber president Damian Ivereigh said Garwood’s actions had harmed the city’s reputation, unity, and economic confidence.
“The mayor’s conduct has, at the very least, become a distraction from the business at hand,” Ivereigh said.
In response to the controversy, the council has removed councillors’ mobile numbers and email addresses from its website after Radke’s video included a screenshot of their details.
Councillor Alan Harris supported the move, calling it the “right decision” for council members’ "safety."
