Winston Marshall of Mumford and Sons
Image: Jo Hale/Redferns

Mumford & Sons Banjoist Winston Marshall Praises Controversial Right-Wing Personality

By Alex Gallagher

Winston Marshall, banjoist for the nauseatingly beige folk outfit Mumford & Sons, has been criticised after praising Andy Ngo, a controversial right-wing troll and agitator who has been accused of sharing misleading and inaccurate information to attack anti-fascist activists.

In a now-deleted tweet, Marshall shared an image of Ngo’s book Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy and congratulated its author, writing, “Finally had the time to read your important book. You’re a brave man.”

For context, Ngo’s book is about as sensationalist as its title, describing antifa members as a “marauding gang” who wish to “destroy the nation-state, America in particular” and downplaying violent right-wing rallies as “peaceful and celebratory.”

Understandably, Marshall has drawn the ire of the internet. The best response probably came from UK legends Sleaford Mods, who tweeted at the banjoist “You are minted, you thick cunt. Step outside of ya bloodline for two minutes and use your fuckin loaf.”

In another tweet, the duo wrote, “That fact this twat from Mumford is openly showing his support for continued oppression/fascism/the interests of greed, is almost normal now. He inhabits the same landscape most large bands do. Will exist in environments that offer a service to free minded people. It’s fucked.”

It’s not the first time the folk rock outfit have come under fire for fraternising with right-wing types. In 2018, the band were criticised after appearing in a photo with divisive Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, whose conservative views on issues like white privilege, gender identity and feminism have made him a champion of the far-right.

At the time, Marshall attempted to deflect from the situation, telling Canada’s CBC Radio, “I don’t think that having a photograph with someone means you agree with everything they say… I think with the controversial stuff that you’re talking about, I don’t think [Peterson’s] psychology is controversial, but the quasi-political stuff… I think it’s a conversation we’re having a little bit as a band and, do we want to get into the political stuff? Probably not.”

https://twitter.com/RichieMcCormack/status/1368525367452045323

Alex Gallagher
Alex Gallagher

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