Back in 2023, Placebo performed at Sonic Park's Stupinigi festival just outside of Turin, Italy, and frontman Brian Molko was promptly sued by the country's far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after he called her "racist," "fascist" and a "piece of shit" while addressing the crowd in Italian.
Now, as The Guardian reports, prosecutors in Turin have charged Molko with "contempt of institutions" after Italy's justice ministry allowed the legal proceedings to move forward yesterday (February 17). A spokesperson for the band said there would be no comment.
The offence of defaming the Italian government, parliament, courts or army carries a fine of up to €5,000 ($7,419.60 CAD), as well as a direct summons to trial. It can also come with a prison term of up to three years — but a spokesperson for Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has reportedly said that Molko is unlikely to receive a custodial sentence.
Lawsuits and criminal charges are apparently a frequent tactic of Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party, which took power in 2022 and have since pursued "hardline policies" on abortion, immigration and same-sex parenting. The party recently banned surrogacy, criminalizing people who go abroad to access it on par with terrorists. (Dictator Benito Mussolini's granddaughter left Brothers of Italy in September, claiming it was too right-wing.)