There has been much debate about Russell Brand’s verdict and sentencing, and a petition now has thousands of fans requesting his freedom. The petition comes after Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to ten years and six months in prison on Monday, November 9.
Russell Brand’s X Account Posts Another Message
On Thursday, November 12, someone posted on behalf of Brand on his X account. They shared a link to a Change.org petition, along with the hashtag “#FreeRussellBrand.” The petition was created by an anonymous individual and is titled “Free Russell Brand.”
The petition lists what the organizers are asking for: “Protect His Right to Appeal. Stand for Due Process. We are an independent community of supporters from around the world who believe that justice must always be fair, transparent and grounded in the rule of law,” the message reads. “Following Russell Brand’s convictions at Southwark Crown Court, we are calling for his right to challenge those convictions through lawful appeal procedures to be fully respected.”
It continues, “Russell Brand has denied the charges. We recognize the seriousness of the offenses and the rights and dignity of everyone involved. But we also believe that the right to appeal is a fundamental safeguard of justice.” At the time of publication, the petition had received over 15,000 signatures.
Fans Told to ‘Stay Tuned’
This post on X comes a day after the account showed Brand’s Instagram had been removed by Meta. “We disabled your account. Our technology found your account, or your activity on it, doesn’t follow our rules,” the message reads. “We suspended your page. This is because Russell Brand goes against our community standards.”
The message on X reads: “There never was a Russell Brand, according to @Meta. Thank God for @elonmusk. Stay tuned.”
Russell Brand’s Marriages
Brand has been married to Laura Brand, formerly Gallacher, since 2017, and they have three daughters. She has supported him throughout his trial and appeared in court. Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter KC also told the judge that she intends to remain by his side.
“Words are completely inadequate to convey the total devastation she’s experiencing,” he said, the Daily Mail reports. “They are wrestling with how to explain to a child who’s just turned ten what has just happened here and the consequences of this conduct to totally innocent people who have been caught up in it.”
Brand’s first marriage to Katy Perry has also been brought back into the spotlight. The former “American Idol” judge and the comedian met on the set of the 2009 film, “Get Him to the Greek.” They married in October 2010 but split in December 2011, when she received a text message from him saying he intended to divorce her. They have not spoken since.
Perry’s old comments on her relationship have also recirculated. “At first, when I met him, he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal, and they’re like, I can’t handle the equalness,” she told Vogue in June 2013. “He didn’t like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour. So that was really hurtful, and it was very controlling, which was upsetting.”
Russell Brand’s X Account Shares Another Message After Telling Fans to ‘Stay Tuned’