British police have launched a sex crimes investigation following news reports involving comedian Russell Brand.
On Monday, London’s Metropolitan Police force announced that it had received multiple allegations of sexual offenses, prompted by a television documentary and newspaper investigations. No arrests have been made at this time.
Brand, aged 48, has strongly denied accusations of sexual assault made by four women in a Channel 4 television documentary, as well as in The Times and Sunday Times newspapers. The accusers, who remain unnamed, include one individual who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Brand during a relationship when she was 16. Another woman has alleged that Brand raped her in Los Angeles in 2012.
Last week, a woman accused Brand of exposing himself to her in 2008. The woman reported to the BBC News that she was working in the same building as the BBC’s Los Angeles office at the time of the incident. Brand allegedly laughed about the incident moments later on his radio show.
The police statement did not explicitly name Brand, but made reference to the recent articles and documentary. The investigation covers allegations of “non-recent” sexual offenses in London and other locations.
“We urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a sexual offense, regardless of when it occurred, to come forward and contact us,” said Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command, who is leading the investigation. “We recognize that taking this step can be difficult, but I want to reassure everyone that we have a team of specialized officers available to provide advice and support.”
Brand has consistently denied the allegations, asserting that all his relationships have been consensual, even during a period when he admitted to being “very, very promiscuous.”
Famous for his uninhibited and provocative stand-up performances, Brand was a prominent figure in the UK in the early 2000s. He hosted radio and television shows, wrote memoirs chronicling his struggles with substance abuse, appeared in numerous Hollywood films, and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012.
While Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media, he has built a substantial following online through videos that blend wellness and conspiracy theories.
Last week, YouTube announced that it would demonetize Brand’s channel, which boasts 6.6 million subscribers, due to the “serious allegations” against him.
In an exclusive interview with “CBS Mornings,” YouTube CEO Neal Mohan defended the decision to suspend monetization of Brand’s channel, citing YouTube’s creator responsibility guidelines policy.
In response to the allegations becoming public, Brand has had several live shows canceled by promoters and has been dropped by his talent agency and publisher.
However, Brand still maintains a presence on Rumble, a video site popular among some conservatives and far-right groups, with 1.6 million followers. The platform has faced criticism for allowing and sometimes promoting disinformation and conspiracy theories.
Brand hosted a new broadcast on Rumble on Monday, praising the platform’s commitment to free speech.
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