Cro-Mags’ Harley Flanagan Claims He Was ‘Sliced,’ Sprayed With Mace at His Own Show

Cro-Mags bassist-vocalist Harley Flanagan claims he was "sliced with a razor or something" and sprayed with self defense spray, saying others with him were sprayed as well, before Cro-Mags' show at the venue Cafe 611 in Frederick, Maryland, on Tuesday (Sept. 12), according to reports. The rocker has shared images of his purported injuries.

However, the people he's accused of instigating the altercation, identified by Lambgoat as contributors with the punk zine Destroy, are refuting the punk musician's version of events, saying they were invited to interview Flanagan and that he and his camp threatened, assaulted and robbed them. In an Instagram screenshot, they also claimed that the Cro-Mags vocalist sexually assaulted the zine's editor-photographer.

See what each party alleges below.

Harley Flanagan Assault Claims

In an Instagram post on Thursday (Sept. 13), Flanagan said of the incident, "A few people that everyone thought was with one of the bands, but turned out not to be caused a ruckus and one of them pulled out-mace by the merch table. I got sprayed my son got sprayed everybody in the room was gasping."

He alleges, "I actually got sliced with a razor or something by the guy on my ass cheek as I was trying to pull him and my son apart. the guy who did it got the shit beat out of him by several people, my eyes were burning and snot was coming out of my nose and I couldn't see. I didn't realize I was cut till I got to the hotel I just thought my pants got torn. I'm still not sure exactly how or why it all started."

Flanagan added, "Two of them had ski masks on and were selling magazines and stuff this is why we all thought they were in or with one of the bands. … These assholes obviously came to the show for problems because they had mace, a stun gun type baton and they dropped a bag that had a suture kit with stitches, needles and iodine in it so they must've been expecting something you don't walk around with stuff like that. … I had to play the set with my eyes and skin burning."

Destroy Zine Assault Claims

However, in an Instagram Story that was captured in a screenshot by Lambgoat, Destroy allege, "We were invited by them to do an interview, and not soon after he made unwanted advances on our editor/photographer. He even touched her."

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The zine continued, "She refused his advances and confronted him. So he threatened our lives and they threatened to break her arm. He also threatened to break our legs and then he flipped our table and they all jumped one editor. While we tried to get free and save ourselves. Then Harley brought his knife out and threatened us and stole our money."

It added, "They attacked us from all sides and even pinned her down. 2 people from their crew held our editor/photographer down and said they were going to break her arm while Harley got on top of her. 6 people from their crew beat our other editor while he was on the ground. We are lucky to be alive."

Destroy has since shared apparent footage of the incident — see below. It also posted a more detailed account of the editors' version of events on @destroyzine's Story. Destroy further summarized its version of events in an Instagram comment on Loudwire's post about the incident:

Harley Flanagan attacked us. He sexually assaulted our editor/photographer and when she confronted him, he lost all control and responded with irrational violence. Once he attacked us we pepper sprayed him to slow his assault. We couldn’t get away. He and his crew separated us from each other and they beat one of our editors terribly while he laid curled up on the floor. Two men held our female editor down and said they were going to break her arm as she tried to use a taser in self-defense. Tasers are legal in the state of Maryland and we were acting within the boundaries of the law. Our third editor was just 20, about to turn 21 that night and he was blocked by the DRI vocalist and prevented from helping us. We feel lucky to be alive and not stabbed to death by Harley. He had a double edged dagger and brandished it at us. We were just there to see the show and give Harley an interview. They even offered us 'press passes' to the show which we never even received or saw. They acted like they didn’t know who we were when we arrived and acted surprised and violently angry when we weren’t in a band playing that night. We were magazine makers and artists who just wanted to see the show and interview Harley in an attempt to promote his band.

Had we known about his full past history of stabbing his former band members and sexually assaulting young girls and women, we would have never accepted their offer of fake 'press passes.' We would have never been in contact with him. We will never support his band again and we stand with victims of sexual assault and victims of wrongful violence. Come check out our story and our posts and see for yourself. Harley has been changing his story from the beginning to fit his agenda. He is dangerous and should not be allowed to play at venues anymore with they predatory behavior he has exhibited through his career.

Help is available if you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault. Please start a chat with RAINN online, or call them at 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673).