Warning: this article contains language and allegations of sexual assault.
Michael Clifford, lead guitarist in the Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer, was accused of sexually assaulting underage girls back in 2013 and 2014.
On the weekend, multiple “burner” Twitter accounts shared first- and second-hand accounts of alleged abuses. All accused Clifford of sexual assault when the band toured with One Direction in 2013 and 2014.
One account seems to have jumpstarted the allegations: ‘sophie’.
Before deactivating her account, ‘sophie’ tweeted that after the band opened for One Direction, “MC” came into the audience where she (14 at the time) was and reached up her mini skirt. She alleges that “MANY people saw” but did nothing.
“I was scared and shocked bc (sic) he kept saying disgusting things to my ear,” she wrote.
There are also second-hand allegations that the behaviour was known about and encouraged by Cliffords’ bandmates Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin.
Many accusing accounts have since ben deactivated, deleted, and the tweets have vanished.
Michael Clifford Calls The Allegations “Completely False”.
Clifford addressing the allegations as “beyond untrue” via a series of tweets.
“holy shit. i am heartbroken to read these things that are being said,” he tweeted to his panicked followers.
“i was never allowed in the crowd I only ever watched at front of house – and would’ve never EVER done that. i wouldf (sic) NEVER do anything like that. i’m so fucking upset.”
holy shit. i am heartbroken to read these things that are being said – they are just BEYOND untrue. i was never allowed in the crowd i only ever watched at front of house – and i would’ve never EVER done that. i wouldf NEVER do anything like that. i’m so fucking upset
— michael clifford (@Michael5SOS) June 15, 2020
He later shared a video from 2013 of him surrounded by screaming fans, saying “this is what life was like in 2013”
“please understand it would’ve been logistically impossible for me to get through a crowd at a show i just played at”
this is what life was like in 2013 – please understand it wouldve been logistically impossible for me to get through a crowd at a show i just played at! im not trying to be defensive i promise this is just so completely falsehttps://t.co/7BfTBjiZLK
— michael clifford (@Michael5SOS) June 15, 2020
“im not trying to be defensive i promise this is just so completely false”
i really just dont know what i can even say. people are asking me to explain but how can i explain something that i was never involved with in the first place? i truly want to give you what you’re asking from me but what more can i say?
— michael clifford (@Michael5SOS) June 15, 2020
Their Former Manager Speaks Out.
Adam Wilkinson was 5SOS’s manager from 2011 and 2013. He released a statement from his personal Facebook account also saying that there is “simply no possibility of this accusation to have occurred”
“All accusations of this kind should be taken seriously if the information can be cross referenced (sic.) and substantiated,” he wrote.
“That’s not the case here and I can confirm at all times I was with the band, they were escorted to front of house from backstage at all times, often by multiple body guards and crew.”
Lots of stories over the past 24 hours circulating about the 5SOS boys from “anonymous” and “burner” twitter accounts….
Posted by Adam Wilkinson on Sunday, June 14, 2020
The Fans Go Into Overdrive And Get Problematic And Messy.
The weird thing is, there’s a lot of conflicting ‘evidence’ and ‘accusations’ around. The fanbase went into overdrive, putting on their best detective hats to get to the bottom of the situation.
Many allegations been claimed as blatantly false or misleading by other ‘evidence’ that’s being shared, courtesy of the loyal 5SOS fanbase.
Before y’all start unfollowing and hating in 5sos, here’s some proof that these accusations are false. One is even a literal CONFESSION from one of the girls. 5sosfam, take a deep breath. pic.twitter.com/njTXYY5dvZ
— Jess \\ Stream CALM ♪♪ (@jess_maier0702) June 15, 2020
There are many comprehensive threads unpacking thousands of morsel of evidence.
5SOS toured with one direction in 2014 but they did not go to Indiana that year
— 💫 𝕂𝕒𝕚 💫 ℂ𝔸𝕃𝕄 (@stardustskai) June 15, 2020
The strange thing was, many accounts and tweets were vanishing; much of the evidence was coign from screenshots. Some of them, even, confessed to and apologised for ‘lying’. Even stranger is that their names have been redacted, or cropped out (along with timestamps).
But worst of all are the allegations that those screenshot ‘confessions’ are from fake accounts created by 5SOS ‘stans’ – which is not only incredibly toxic and problematic, but also low-key illegal, behaviour.
Suffice to say it’s been a dramatic and confusing 24 hours for everyone.
Turns Out, Lookalikes Prowl Concerts; Lawyers Are Involved
After all of the drama and all of the panic, the fandom has managed to reveal (again, allegedly) what really happened: that ‘Sophie’ was assaulted by a lookalike.
It has been alleged that lookalikes often attend concerts of popular artists – especially those with young female fans.
‘sophie’ has since opened a new account and explained her assault again, tweeting that she now realised it was a look alike, that she had been “wrong for seven years”
“my offender IS NOT MICHAEL CLIFFORD,” she tweeted.
HE NEVER TOUCHED ME, HE NEVER SAID THOSE THINGS TO ME. He’s innocent.
And a word of warning: this tweet contains details of sexual assault.
to @Michael5SOS and everyone who may got hurt because of what happened yesterday.
Please don’t send hate. Reliving everything is k*lling me but as I said, I never lied and I NEVER WILL. This is the truth. Thank you and I’m sorry, forever. pic.twitter.com/hK9SjD53wv
— sophie (@sophiectth5) June 15, 2020
The fandom has rallied around her, after the revelations offering support and apologising on behalf of the threats and abuse she endured from the loyal fanbase.
although michael’s name is cleared and it seems that all the 5sos allegations have been proven to be false, i want to remind everyone that while this is relieving, there are still victims. it should enrage you that random guys used our band to take advantage of girls at concerts.
— luke hemmings archives 💚 (@lrharchives) June 15, 2020
the 5sosfam really debunked this thing before 5sos even spoke lmao
— miranda wants to keep the moot 🙂 (@wiIdflowerm) June 15, 2020
please don’t let pics of random lookalikes take away from the fact there were people who’d go to shows trying to look like 5sos and using that to take advantage of young fans, sharing pics of ones who are confirmed to have been at the shows would be more helpful in identifying
— ً el (@wildflowerels) June 15, 2020
‘sophie’ says that lawyers are now involved and that she is grateful for the support her fellow fans have shown her. She has tweeted that she hopes Michael will forgive her.
Honestly, what a brave woman.
Image Sources: Instagram (@michaelclifford), Twitter (@Michael5SOS)
