Country music duo Florida Georgia Line is backpedalling after they allegedly dissed law enforcement in both Wisconsin and now Iowa.
Last week, FGL was in Kenosha, WI for the Country Thunder music festival when they made it clear they didn’t want officers anywhere near them.
“We were on the grounds the entire event covering the camp sites, festival grounds and also (backstage),” Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told FOX411 Country. “I was informed the (Florida Georgia Line) spokesperson had made the request prior to the concert that no law enforcement be backstage while they were on the grounds.”
Sheriff Beth confirmed Country Thunder management had informed the duo their request would not be honored in order to keep everyone at the festival safe.
Beth said he “never found out why the band(‘s) agent made this request” and that he “was a little taken back by the request.”
Now, TMZ has reported the duo did the same thing in Iowa – only this time, it was law enforcement who had the last laugh.
Jones County Sheriff Greg Graver said he was headed backstage at the Great Jones County Fair Saturday night to go over security protocol with the band when a FGL crew member told him uniformed officers were not allowed backstage – per the band.
Sheriff Graver says he was told the country duo even threatened to pull the plug on the concert if they saw any cops.
Graver said halfway through their performance, he was told the band wanted him to provide a police escort out of town following their performance. Sheriff Graver informed them he wouldn’t spend “one tax dollar assisting them”.
He also added that although the band’s management had scrambled for other law enforcement agencies to provide the escort … everyone gave them the same kiss off, and the band (and their officer-hating entourage) left the venue and town with their tails between their legs – sans escort.
Tyler and Brian took to Twitter on July 24 to assure angry fans that they were “bummed” anyone would get the impression they didn’t “love and respect” the police by requesting that no police be allowed near them backstage.
— Florida Georgia Line (@FLAGALine) July 24, 2016
A rep for Florida Georgia Line had no further comment outside the Twitter statement, but my money is on the Sheriffs, not the “Dirt” duo.
Sound off country music fans: what do you think of FGL’s actions?
UPDATE:
10:11 p.m. FGL now says “what happened over the weekend was a misunderstanding that was blown out of proportion and taken out of context”.
Just a reminder, this past weekend it was Iowa’s Jones County Sheriff Greg Graver who spoke out on the country duo’s behavior Saturday night, but the tweet does not address Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth’s report of a similar experience just days before in Wisconsin.
Both sheriffs report being informed by a Florida Georgia Line crew member that uniformed officers were not allowed backstage per the band.
— Florida Georgia Line (@FLAGALine) July 26, 2016
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