Morrissey Alleges Police Officer Pulled Gun on Him in ‘Act of Terror’
Update: Morrissey canceled seven “proposed live dates” in Italy in September, according to his nephew, photographer Sam Esty Rayner. “Obviously, with psychopaths like this on the loose, it is not safe for me to be in Italy,” the singer said, per his nephew.
Morrissey claimed that a police officer in Rome threatened him with a gun in a Facebook post jointly authored by Rayner. The singer described the altercation as a “deliberate act of terror.”
Rayner confirmed the validity of Morrissey’s quotes to Rolling Stone.
The Rome police department did not respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
Rayner wrote that the officer “terrorized Morrissey for 35 minutes, demanding ‘papers,'” which the singer didn’t have. Moments later, the armed officer allegedly remarked, “I know who you are” and began shouting as a crowd of “over 100 people” gathered. Morrissey eventually walked away without being followed.
“I had not broken the law or acted suspiciously,” Morrissey wrote. “The officer unlocked his gun and held it as he screamed into my face. Some people came to my rescue. This happened outside the Nike store, and many people filmed the obviously insane officer. I believe he recognized me and wanted to frighten me. I did not back down even though I believed he was about to shoot me. I urge people to beware of this dangerously aggressive Officer. He might kill you.”
Morrissey released his 10th solo LP, World Peace Is None of Your Business, in 2014.