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Kiss’ Gene Simmons tells Piers Morgan that racist “hooligans” should be fined for online abuse

Morgan brought up the idea to Simmons on Good Morning Britain.

Gene Simmons (left) and Piers Morgan

Gene Simmons (left) and Piers Morgan. Images: Kevin Winter / Jerod Harris / Getty

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Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has spoken out against online racist abuse in conversation with Piers Morgan.

Talking to Simmons on Good Morning Britain, Morgan suggested that “racist yobs and thugs” who abuse people online should face a fine. His comments were in reference to the spike in abuse that footballer Marcus Rashford faced, following his team Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal.

“I think your idea’s spot-on,” Simmons replied. “The only thing these hooligans understand is money, and to be punished. And just to get their wrists slapped, and told ‘Oh, that’s not a nice thing to do,’ they don’t care about that.”

Morgan then opined that if the same abuse was published in a newspaper, the publication would face massive fines, and said that social media companies don’t want to be seen as publishers in the same way, or take responsibility for abusive content.

Simmons then noted that “You’d think things have changed, not just in America, but all over the world, but they haven’t very much. I used to live with Diana Ross, a great lady, and she used to tell me about the Supremes touring the South. And they were even more popular than The Dave Clark Five, and they’d go there and headline shows and everything.

“After the show, they couldn’t stay in a hotel; they had to go to what’s called the ‘coloured’ hotel. And the next day, when they were driving out of town – they had a bus that everybody shared – people were shooting at them. Things haven’t gone very far from then.”

You can see Simmons’ reply in the video below.

Recently, Gibson announced a collection of signature instruments for Simmons entitled G2. The bass guitars will be joined by “new entertainment content” on online and social platforms from Simmons and Gibson.

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