Around 150 protesters gathered outside a Bern stadium Saturday, trying to out-shout thousands of Rammstein fans pouring in to see their favourite band, despite a wave of sexual assault claims.

Brandishing banners with messages such as "I believe her", and "Stop the rape culture", the small crowd raised their middle fingers towards the concert venue and the far-larger gathering of black-clad fans of the German metal band.

The fans responded in kind, with a line of police officers separating them.

Some 40,000 fans were expected for the sold-out concert at Bern's Wankdorf Stadium, with another to follow on Sunday.

These are among the first concerts Rammstein have given since Berlin prosecutors this week opened an investigation against its frontman Till Lindemann following a slew of sexual assault claims.

Several women have come forward in recent weeks saying they were picked out at concerts and drugged to engage in sexual activity with Lindemann, 60, at Rammstein after-show parties.&nbsp;

The alleged assaults happened during an ongoing 35-date European stadium tour by the industrial metal band, known for grinding guitar riffs, taboo-breaking antics and theatrical stage shows heavy on pyrotechnics.

<h2>- 'Not shocked' -</h2>

The claims, which Lindemann has strenuously denied, did not dissuade the die-hard fans, decked out in black Rammstein T-shirts and many sporting tattoos of the band, flocking to the show.

"This doesn't affect us. We're not shocked at all," said Marie Rouillon, a 51-year-old Frenchwoman at the concert with her husband Arnaud.

The couple, who said they had been Rammstein fans for 15 years and have attended seven previous concerts, said they would of course be shocked if it turned out the allegations were true.

"But would that stop us from seeing them? I don't think so," Marie said.

Lara Andermatt, 20, agreed.

"Maybe it's true, maybe not, but I am here for the concert," she said, adding that she was just super excited to finally see her favourite band live for the first time.

If the allegations turn out to be true, she said, "it's not ok, but I will definitely still listen to Rammstein."

<h2>- 'Closing a chapter' -</h2>

Rachel Weyermann, a 24-year-old from Bern, meanwhile said this was her fourth Rammstein concert, but that she would not be able to continue listening to the band if there was proof the allegations were true.

"If I knew it was true, I think this would be my last concert," she said.

The scandal erupted after a young Irish woman posted on social media that she had been drugged and propositioned by Lindemann at a backstage party in Vilnius.

A wave of similar stories has since emerged through platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

One 20-year-old women who spoke with AFP before Saturday's concert, who gave her name only as Adriana, said she had been contacted ahead of the event by someone offering her a spot up front and after-show party access.

She said she had turned down that offer, but that she was eager to see the band she has worshipped for nearly a decade live for the first, and likely the last time.

"I am seeing them live today, it's like closing a chapter for me."

<h2>- 'Scandalous' -</h2>

The uproar around the allegations led to all after-show parties being cancelled at a series of Rammstein concerts in Munich last week.

It remained unclear if any after parties would be held following the two concerts in Bern this weekend.

Young Socialists Switzerland (JS), the Social Democratic Party's youth movement, and a number of feminist groups had launched a petition urging the promoters to call off the Bern gigs, which was signed by more than 7,500 people.

"We are clearly very disappointed that that didn't work," deputy-secretary Mathilde Mottet told AFP at Saturday's protest.

"You have 40,000 people coming to watch a potential rapist... It's completely scandalous."

Holding up a bullhorn, she and others led the protesters in a series of dances and chants, amid a chorus of boos from some of the fans as they began to file into the hall.

One chant repeated frequently and angrily was: "Till Verschwindemann" , translated to "Till, get lost, man". 
 
&nbsp;

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Around 150 protesters gathered outside a Bern stadium Saturday, trying to out-shout thousands of Rammstein fans pouring in to see their favourite band, despite a wave of sexual assault claims.

Around 150 protesters gathered outside a Bern stadium Saturday, trying to out-shout thousands of Rammstein fans pouring in to see their favourite band, despite a wave of sexual assault claims. Brandishing banners with messages such as "I believe her", and "Stop the rape culture", the small crowd raised their middle fingers towards the concert venue and the far-larger gathering of black-clad fans of the German metal band. The fans responded in kind, with a line of police officers separating them. Some 40,000 fans were expected for the sold-out concert at Bern's Wankdorf Stadium, with another to follow on Sunday. These are among the first concerts Rammstein have given since Berlin prosecutors this week opened an investigation against its frontman Till Lindemann following a slew of sexual assault claims. Several women have come forward in recent weeks saying they were picked out at concerts and drugged to engage in sexual activity with Lindemann, 60, at Rammstein after-show parties. The alleged assaults happened during an ongoing 35-date European stadium tour by the industrial metal band, known for grinding guitar riffs, taboo-breaking antics and theatrical stage shows heavy on pyrotechnics. - 'Not shocked' - The claims, which Lindemann has strenuously denied, did not dissuade the die-hard fans, decked out in black Rammstein T-shirts and many sporting tattoos of the band, flocking to the show. "This doesn't affect us. We're not shocked at all," said Marie Rouillon, a 51-year-old Frenchwoman at the concert with her husband Arnaud. The couple, who said they had been Rammstein fans for 15 years and have attended seven previous concerts, said they would of course be shocked if it turned out the allegations were true. "But would that stop us from seeing them? I don't think so," Marie said. Lara Andermatt, 20, agreed. "Maybe it's true, maybe not, but I am here for the concert," she said, adding that she was just super excited to finally see her favourite band live for the first time. If the allegations turn out to be true, she said, "it's not ok, but I will definitely still listen to Rammstein." - 'Closing a chapter' - Rachel Weyermann, a 24-year-old from Bern, meanwhile said this was her fourth Rammstein concert, but that she would not be able to continue listening to the band if there was proof the allegations were true. "If I knew it was true, I think this would be my last concert," she said. The scandal erupted after a young Irish woman posted on social media that she had been drugged and propositioned by Lindemann at a backstage party in Vilnius. A wave of similar stories has since emerged through platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. One 20-year-old women who spoke with AFP before Saturday's concert, who gave her name only as Adriana, said she had been contacted ahead of the event by someone offering her a spot up front and after-show party access. She said she had turned down that offer, but that she was eager to see the band she has worshipped for nearly a decade live for the first, and likely the last time. "I am seeing them live today, it's like closing a chapter for me." - 'Scandalous' - The uproar around the allegations led to all after-show parties being cancelled at a series of Rammstein concerts in Munich last week. It remained unclear if any after parties would be held following the two concerts in Bern this weekend. Young Socialists Switzerland (JS), the Social Democratic Party's youth movement, and a number of feminist groups had launched a petition urging the promoters to call off the Bern gigs, which was signed by more than 7,500 people. "We are clearly very disappointed that that didn't work," deputy-secretary Mathilde Mottet told AFP at Saturday's protest. "You have 40,000 people coming to watch a potential rapist... It's completely scandalous." Holding up a bullhorn, she and others led the protesters in a series of dances and chants, amid a chorus of boos from some of the fans as they began to file into the hall. One chant repeated frequently and angrily was: "Till Verschwindemann" , translated to "Till, get lost, man". WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Rammstein fans, sex assault protesters face off at Swiss concert

A law firm representing the frontman of German rock band Rammstein, who has been hit by a wave of sexual assault claims, on Thursday categorically denied the allegations.

Several women have come forward recently to claim they were recruited and drugged to engage in sexual activity with Till Lindemann, 60, at Rammstein after-show parties.&nbsp;

"Various women have made serious accusations against our client," Berlin-based law firm Schertz Bergmann said in a statement.

"These allegations are without exception untrue," it said, adding that legal action would be taken against the women.

The scandal erupted after a young Irish woman posted on social media that she had been drugged and propositioned by Lindemann at a backstage party in Vilnius.

A wave of similar stories has since emerged through platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The uproar around the allegations led to all after-show parties being cancelled at a series of Rammstein concerts in Munich this week.

Berlin has also said that after-show parties will be cancelled at the band's upcoming concerts in the German capital in July.

The allegations prompted German Families Minister Lisa Paus to call for better protection for fans at concerts.

Rammstein, an industrial metal band founded in 1994, is known for grinding guitar riffs, taboo-breaking antics and theatrical stage shows heavy on pyrotechnics.

Their songs have dealt with subjects from cannibalism to necrophilia and the band name itself evokes the 1988 Ramstein air show disaster that killed 70 people and injured more than 1,000.

The band has denied the allegations.

But German media have reported that Alena Makeeva, a Russian woman accused of recruiting young women to engage in sexual relations with Lindemann, has been banned from all further Rammstein concerts.

Makeeva called herself Rammstein's "casting director" and had been working for the band since 2019, according to Die Welt daily.

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A law firm representing the frontman of German rock band Rammstein, who has been hit by a wave of sexual assault claims, on Thursday categorically denied the allegations.

A law firm representing the frontman of German rock band Rammstein, who has been hit by a wave of sexual assault claims, on Thursday categorically denied the allegations. Several women have come forward recently to claim they were recruited and drugged to engage in sexual activity with Till Lindemann, 60, at Rammstein after-show parties. "Various women have made serious accusations against our client," Berlin-based law firm Schertz Bergmann said in a statement. "These allegations are without exception untrue," it said, adding that legal action would be taken against the women. The scandal erupted after a young Irish woman posted on social media that she had been drugged and propositioned by Lindemann at a backstage party in Vilnius. A wave of similar stories has since emerged through platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The uproar around the allegations led to all after-show parties being cancelled at a series of Rammstein concerts in Munich this week. Berlin has also said that after-show parties will be cancelled at the band's upcoming concerts in the German capital in July. The allegations prompted German Families Minister Lisa Paus to call for better protection for fans at concerts. Rammstein, an industrial metal band founded in 1994, is known for grinding guitar riffs, taboo-breaking antics and theatrical stage shows heavy on pyrotechnics. Their songs have dealt with subjects from cannibalism to necrophilia and the band name itself evokes the 1988 Ramstein air show disaster that killed 70 people and injured more than 1,000. The band has denied the allegations. But German media have reported that Alena Makeeva, a Russian woman accused of recruiting young women to engage in sexual relations with Lindemann, has been banned from all further Rammstein concerts. Makeeva called herself Rammstein's "casting director" and had been working for the band since 2019, according to Die Welt daily.

Rammstein frontman denies sexual assault allegations

German rock band Rammstein's lead singer Till Lindermann has been accused of recruiting young female fans to have sex with him post-concert. The accusations came to light after one fan alleged that her drink had been spiked at an afterparty in Vilnius last month. The reports of sexual harassment have come just ahead of Rammstein's sold-out four-night residency at Munich's Olympic Stadium starting on Wednesday.&nbsp; 
 
Following the reports, the concert promoter announced that there would be no afterparties following the shows nor a so-called 'row zero' experience that usually happens for fans directly in front of the stage.&nbsp; 
 
The aftermath of the allegation 
 
The publishing house Kiepenheuer &amp; Witsch, which published an anthology of Lindemann’s poems in 2020, announced it was parting ways with the singer owing to the string of reports accusing him of sexual abuse. The publishing house has also raised objections to a two-year-old pornographic video in which the Rammstein frontman appears to insert his penis through a hole cut into a copy of a volume of his own poetry. 
 
In a statement on its Instagram page, the band said it was taking the reports “extremely seriously” and urged fans to not pass judgment about the women who had spoken out, as well as the conduct of its own members. 
 
"We tell our fans: it is important that you feel good and safe at our shows – in front and behind the stage,” the statement said.

An earlier statement on Twitter said, “With regard to the allegations circulating on the internet about Vilnius, we can rule out the possibility that what is being claimed took place in our environment.” 
 
About Rammstein 
 
Rammstein is considered Germany's most successful musical export. The band's status in their home country is more ambivalent. They are known for their heavy metal guitar sound and cabaret-style stage shows. The band was formed in 1994 and has a long history of provocatively using images and languages associated with the Nazi era, although Lindemann stated in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine that "we hate Nazis." 
 
Known for their industrial heavy metal guitar sound and cabaret-style stage shows, Rammstein are one of Germany’s most successful musical exports, though the band’s status in their home country is more ambivalent. 
 
The first allegations against the band were raised on 25 May by a 24-year-old fan from Northern Ireland who attended their concert in Vilnius, Lithuania. In a series of posts on social media, the woman said that ahead of her trip she had contacted a woman via Instagram who on chat forums was known to help fans gain access to exclusive parties before and after the show.

The woman, called Alena Makeeva, who on her Instagram page refers to herself as a “casting director on tour with Till Lindemann”, sent the 24-year-old a link to a private WhatsApp group and eventually texted her an invitation to join the “row zero” area at the Vilnius concert. 
 
The woman was led to a small changing room during the interval of the concert where Lindemann joined her. When she made clear that she would not have sex with him, the singer reportedly reacted angrily.&nbsp; 
 
At the pre-concert party, the woman said, she had two alcoholic drinks but started to act erratically later in the evening, leading her to believe that her drink had been spiked. A urine test she obtained from a pharmacy showed no sign of drugs in her system.

In a follow-up post on 30 May, the woman said: “Till did NOT touch me. He accepted I did not want to have sex with him. I never claimed he raped me.” 
 
More accusations against Lindermann 
 
Soon after her post went viral, several others have been reporting similar stories in German media where fans were “cast” to have sex with the Rammstein frontman. 
 
An article in Süddeutsche Zeitung cites another woman, who had attended an after-show party following a Rammstein concert in Vienna in 2019 and had consumed alcohol. 
 
After passing out, this woman said she regained consciousness to find Lindemann “on top of me” inside a hotel room. According to Süddeutsche, the singer then asked her whether she wanted him to stop and later left the room. 
 
While several stories have surfaced in German newspapers and on social media, only the Vilnius case has been reported to the police so far.&nbsp;

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German rock band Rammstein's lead singer Till Lindermann has been accused of recruiting young female fans to have sex with him post-concert. The accusations came to light after one fan alleged that her drink had been spiked at an afterparty in Vilnius last month.

German rock band Rammstein's lead singer Till Lindermann has been accused of recruiting young female fans to have sex with him post-concert. The accusations came to light after one fan alleged that her drink had been spiked at an afterparty in Vilnius last month. The reports of sexual harassment have come just ahead of Rammstein's sold-out four-night residency at Munich's Olympic Stadium starting on Wednesday. Following the reports, the concert promoter announced that there would be no afterparties following the shows nor a so-called 'row zero' experience that usually happens for fans directly in front of the stage. The aftermath of the allegation The publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch, which published an anthology of Lindemann’s poems in 2020, announced it was parting ways with the singer owing to the string of reports accusing him of sexual abuse. The publishing house has also raised objections to a two-year-old pornographic video in which the Rammstein frontman appears to insert his penis through a hole cut into a copy of a volume of his own poetry. In a statement on its Instagram page, the band said it was taking the reports “extremely seriously” and urged fans to not pass judgment about the women who had spoken out, as well as the conduct of its own members. "We tell our fans: it is important that you feel good and safe at our shows – in front and behind the stage,” the statement said. An earlier statement on Twitter said, “With regard to the allegations circulating on the internet about Vilnius, we can rule out the possibility that what is being claimed took place in our environment.” About Rammstein Rammstein is considered Germany's most successful musical export. The band's status in their home country is more ambivalent. They are known for their heavy metal guitar sound and cabaret-style stage shows. The band was formed in 1994 and has a long history of provocatively using images and languages associated with the Nazi era, although Lindemann stated in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine that "we hate Nazis." Known for their industrial heavy metal guitar sound and cabaret-style stage shows, Rammstein are one of Germany’s most successful musical exports, though the band’s status in their home country is more ambivalent. The first allegations against the band were raised on 25 May by a 24-year-old fan from Northern Ireland who attended their concert in Vilnius, Lithuania. In a series of posts on social media, the woman said that ahead of her trip she had contacted a woman via Instagram who on chat forums was known to help fans gain access to exclusive parties before and after the show. The woman, called Alena Makeeva, who on her Instagram page refers to herself as a “casting director on tour with Till Lindemann”, sent the 24-year-old a link to a private WhatsApp group and eventually texted her an invitation to join the “row zero” area at the Vilnius concert. The woman was led to a small changing room during the interval of the concert where Lindemann joined her. When she made clear that she would not have sex with him, the singer reportedly reacted angrily. At the pre-concert party, the woman said, she had two alcoholic drinks but started to act erratically later in the evening, leading her to believe that her drink had been spiked. A urine test she obtained from a pharmacy showed no sign of drugs in her system. In a follow-up post on 30 May, the woman said: “Till did NOT touch me. He accepted I did not want to have sex with him. I never claimed he raped me.” More accusations against Lindermann Soon after her post went viral, several others have been reporting similar stories in German media where fans were “cast” to have sex with the Rammstein frontman. An article in Süddeutsche Zeitung cites another woman, who had attended an after-show party following a Rammstein concert in Vienna in 2019 and had consumed alcohol. After passing out, this woman said she regained consciousness to find Lindemann “on top of me” inside a hotel room. According to Süddeutsche, the singer then asked her whether she wanted him to stop and later left the room. While several stories have surfaced in German newspapers and on social media, only the Vilnius case has been reported to the police so far. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

German rock band Rammstein's lead singer accused of recruiting fans for sex

German hard rock band Rammstein has provoked outrage among Jewish groups and politicians with a video advertising its new album in which band members appear dressed as concentration camp prisoners. 
 
In the short video, available online, band members appear dressed in the striped uniforms of concentration camp prisoners with nooses around their necks. 
"With this video, the band has crossed a line," Charlotte Knobloch, a Holocaust survivor and former president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told mass-selling daily Bild. 
 
"The instrumentalisation and trivialisation of the Holocaust, as shown in the images, is irresponsible." 
 
Felix Klein, the government`s commissioner for anti-semitism, said if the video was simply to promote sales, "I think it is a tasteless exploitation of artistic freedom."&nbsp;Rammstein are no strangers to controversy. 
 
Since launching in Berlin in 1995, the band has courted controversy with its albums, which have touched on such subjects as sadomasochism, homosexuality, incest, abuse, necrophilia, pyromania, cannibalism and sexual violence. 
 
In 2009, the government banned Rammstein`s hit album 'Liebe ist Fuer Alle Da' ("Love is For All") from public display in stores because of its depictions of sado-masochism.

German hard rock band Rammstein has provoked outrage among Jewish groups and politicians with a video advertising its new album in which band members appear dressed as concentration camp prisoners.

German hard rock band Rammstein has provoked outrage among Jewish groups and politicians with a video advertising its new album in which band members appear dressed as concentration camp prisoners. In the short video, available online, band members appear dressed in the striped uniforms of concentration camp prisoners with nooses around their necks. "With this video, the band has crossed a line," Charlotte Knobloch, a Holocaust survivor and former president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told mass-selling daily Bild. "The instrumentalisation and trivialisation of the Holocaust, as shown in the images, is irresponsible." Felix Klein, the government`s commissioner for anti-semitism, said if the video was simply to promote sales, "I think it is a tasteless exploitation of artistic freedom." Rammstein are no strangers to controversy. Since launching in Berlin in 1995, the band has courted controversy with its albums, which have touched on such subjects as sadomasochism, homosexuality, incest, abuse, necrophilia, pyromania, cannibalism and sexual violence. In 2009, the government banned Rammstein`s hit album 'Liebe ist Fuer Alle Da' ("Love is For All") from public display in stores because of its depictions of sado-masochism.

German rock band Rammstein causes outrage with Nazi camp video

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