Eagles of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes Lambasts March for Our Lives Protests | Page 3 | Revolver

Eagles of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes Lambasts March for Our Lives Protests

"May every one of these disgusting vile abusers of the dead live as long as possible ... to endure their shame, and be cursed"
Jesse Hughest 2017 Getty, Rick Kern/WireImage
photograph by Rick Kern/WireImage

UPDATE: On the evening of March 31, Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes posted a video to his Instagram apologizing for his earlier statements criticizing the thousands of student activists that took to the streets on March 24 in support of gun control in the wake of the Marjorie Stoneman High School shooting.

"I was not attempting to impugn the youth of America, and this beautiful thing they've accomplished," said Hughes. "I truly am sorry, I did not mean to hurt anyone or cause any harm. As someone who's watched their friends shot in front of their eyes and seen people killed that they love, I should have handled this a lot more maturely and responsibly and I did not do that, and I messed up and I hope that you're able to forgive me." Watch the full video below:

A post shared by Jesse Hughes (@fatherbadass) on

Last Saturday, March 24th, hundreds of thousands of activists hit the streets for the March for Our Lives, a day of gun-control marches held in cities around the country, conceived in response to last month's mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman High School in Florida. Survivors of the February 14th massacre and similar tragedies addressed crowds all over the country, including the nationally-televised keystone event in Washington D.C.

One survivor who was not in attendance was Eagles of Death Metal main man Jesse Hughes. The rocker — who was performing at Paris' Bataclan when two armed terrorists burst into the venue and gunned down 89 people on November 13th, 2015 — lambasted the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who participated in the March for Our Lives in a length Instagram rant — which has since been deleted from his account — decrying them as "disgusting vile abusers of the dead."

"Obviously ... The best thing to do to combat chronic abusers and disregarders of the law (like the law against Murder) is to ... pass another Law," Hughes argued, "But before we pass this law we're going to denigrate the memory and curse ourselves by exploiting the death of 16 of our fellow students for a few Facebook likes and some media attention. Look how well civil rights abuses as it concerns firearms helped to protect me and my friends in Paris."

"When the truth don't line up with your bullshit narrative just hold your breath and stamp your feet and refused to except [sic] it ... then take multiple days off of school playing hooky at the expense of 16 of your classmates blood!" He added sardonically. "It might be funny if it wasn't so pathetic and disgusting."

"As the survivor of a mass shooting, I can tell you from first-hand experience that all of you protesting and taking days off from school insult the memory of those who were killed and abuse and insult me and every other lover of liberty by your every action," Hughes concluded. "Long Live Rock'n'Roll, and may everyone of these disgusting vile abusers of the dead live as long as possible so they can have the maximum amount of time to endure their shame, and be cursed."

Unsurprisingly, Hughes' words ruffled some fans' feathers. In a follow-up post, the rocker admitted that he shouldn't have published a political rant on his main account, but ultimately stood by his previous position. "I've always believed in the motto I may not agree with what you're saying but I'll die for your right to say it," wrote Hughes. "[It] saddens me to see so many not have this motto for the same. I'm going to start a second Instagram for where I shall put my political beliefs ... I love every lover of Rock'n'Roll and And every lover of Rock'n'Roll is welcome here check your politics at the door, and I'll start with myself."