Winston Marshall, a musician and banjoist for the band Mumford and Sons, was kicked out of the band. It was reported that his bandmates, Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, and the group's managers, determined that they should ask Marshall to leave.
"Winston's staunchly right wing political views have been causing tension for some time now within the band," said a source close the group, according to The Sun. They said that "There has been a rift forming for the past four years with some people even going as far to say he has been 'radicalised.'"
"But his tweet on Sunday was the final straw and they said they couldn't put up with it any longer because it massively impacts the band's image... It has been hugely difficult but that was the decision they had to make."
"Marcus would always be an advocate for his right to free speech and for him to believe what he wants," they said.
The split came even despite Marshall having posted a formal apology for the infraction of having liked a book. He had lauded Andy Ngo's New York Times bestselling book Unmasked: Inside Antifa's Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy.
Marshall had posted praise for the book and its author before he was mobbed online by Ngo's haters. Marshall deleted the tweet in the face of all the vitriol.
— Winston Marshall (@MrWinMarshall) March 10, 2021
Marshall wrote in his apology, "Over the past few days I have come to better understand the pain caused by the book I endorsed. I have offended not only a lot of people I don’t know, but also those closest to me including my bandmates and for that I am truly sorry. As a result of my actions, I am taking time away from the band to examine my blindspots."
The statement concluded with, "For now please know that I realise how my endorsements have the potential to be viewed as approvals of hateful, divisive behavior. I apologise as this was not my intention."
Marshall had originally lauded praise on The Post Millennial’s editor-at-large Ngo and tweeted, "Congratulations @MrAndyNgo." said Marshall in a now deleted tweet. "Finally had the time to read your important book. You're a brave man."
Marshall's tweet sparked outrage as social justice trolls flocked to Twitter to show their distaste for the artist's support of Ngo, including from an English band that compared his praise of Ngo to supporting oppression and fascism. In response to Marshall's tweet, Antifa activists on Twitter slammed Mumford and Son's with one keyboard warrior going as far as to liken Marshall's support of Ngo with support for Nazis.
Andy Ngo's Unmasked: Inside Antifa's Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy, details Antifa's organizational efforts and patterns of violence, most notably in Portland and Seattle.
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