Eagles Of Death Metal mainman Jesse Hughes has suggested something was amiss with security at the Bataclan in Paris prior to the massacre at the venue in November.
A total of 89 people were shot dead during the band’s show late last year after extremist gunmen forced their way in to the concert hall.
And in an interview with Fox Business Network, Hughes was asked if anything seemed out of place that night before they hit the stage.
He says: “When I first got to the venue, I walked passed a dude who was supposed to be the security for backstage – and he didn’t even look at me. I immediately went to the promoter and said, ‘Who’s that guy? I want to put another dude on.’ He goes, ‘Well, some of the other guards aren’t here yet.’ And eventually I found out that six or so wouldn’t show up at all.”
When asked why he thought that was, Hughes says: “Out of respect for the police still investigating I won’t make a definite statement – but I’ll say it seems rather obvious that they had a reason not to show up.”
But the Bataclan have hit back at the musician’s comments, saying his words were “grave and defamatory.”
A rep for the venue tells Variety: “Jesse Hughes spread some very grave and defamatory accusations against the Bataclan teams.
“A judicial investigation is undergoing. We wish to let justice proceed serenely. All the testimonies gathered to this day demonstrate the professionalism and courage of the security agents who were on the ground on November 13. Hundreds of people were saved thanks to these agents’ intervention.”
Last month, Hughes reported that he still wanted universal gun access saying: “Until nobody has guns, everybody has to have them.”
