Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal

Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes has apologized for recent comments in which he criticized the student-led protests against gun violence and their calls for increased gun regulation. “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,” he said in part, “and be Cursed.”

In a video apology posted to Instagram on Saturday, Hughes said he he intended to make a statement “about the hijacking by any side of the aisle of the beautiful agenda of a movement of our nation’s youth,” but it “came off seeming like a mean-spirited and personal attack and slight of the youth themselves.”



“I wanna be clear, I never intended for that to happen,” Hughes added. “I was not attempting to impugn the youth of America and this beautiful thing that they accomplished. I truly am sorry, I did not mean to hurt anyone or cause any harm.”

Hughes’ band Eagles of Death Metal was on stage during the 2016 terror attack on Paris’ Bataclan, during which 89 people were murdered. “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,” he said to close the apology. “And I hope that you’re able to forgive me but please know that I did not mean to do what it seems like it was I was doing.”

Hughes deleted his original comments not long after they received condemnation from the public, but screenshots still exist. They include an image of student protester Emma González photoshopped to look like she’s ripping a copy of the US Constitution, and an image of three “pills that are hard to swallow” labeled “Our guns aren’t going anywhere,” “There are only 2 genders,” and “Donald Trump will be your president for 7 more years.”

Mark Lanegan, a friend and collaborator of Hughes, publicly voiced his disappointment over Hughes’ comments. “When I think of the goods times we’ve had in the past, it fucks my heart to see how far off the rails you’ve gone,” Lanegan said. “Come back bro.”