RAMON ALVARADO

Marilyn Manson is under fire for pretending to shoot the crowd during his performance at Knotfest Meets Ozzfest in San Bernardino on November 4. Manson has come out to defend his actions, calling it “theater.”

Manson’s theatrics came just hours after 26 people were announced dead in a Texas church shooting. The city Manson was performing in, San Bernardino, was hit with a mass shooting as well back in December of last year.

While the rock star’s actions might seem out of hand, Manson claims there’s a message behind the madness.

Mass shootings have become a common occurrence in the United States and there’s been many discussions about guns laws. Manson claims his fake AK-47-toting actions were aimed to raise awareness.

“In an era where mass shootings have become a nearly daily occurrence, this was an act of theater in an attempt to make a statement about how easily accessible semi-automatic weapons are and how seeing them has become normalized,” Manson said in a statement sent to Variety.

Later in the statement, Manson claimed the fake gun was given approval by the police prior to his performance.

“The prop microphone I used on stage was handed to me with the approval of a police officer,” Manson said. “My empathy goes out to anyone who has been affected by the irresponsible and reprehensible misuse of REAL guns.”

Manson seems to have a strong point about the “misuse of real guns.” Manson’s antics in San Bernardino are minor compared to the real shootings we’ve seen in the U.S.

This isn’t the first time Manson has stirred some political controversy. Manson was marked as a reason for the Columbine shootings back in 1999. In an interview with the New York Times earlier this year, Manson said the Columbine shooting was to blame for his fading music career.

“Certain people blame me for the shootings at schools. I think my numbers are low, and hopefully they go up on my [upcoming] record.” Manson said in the interview. “But honestly, the Columbine era destroyed my entire career at the time.”

The reason for Manson’s decline is questionable, but he has certainly had a strong stance on many political issues throughout his career. No matter the stance, though, Manson wants people to know he meant no harm in San Bernardino.

“My art has always been a reaction to popular culture and my way to make people think about the horrible things that happen in this world,” he added. “My performance was not meant to be disrespectful or show any insensitivity.”