- Russell Brand was charged by the Metropolitan Police on April 4 following allegations that he raped, sexually assaulted and abused multiple women
- The comedian will discuss cancel culture, free speech and censorship at Florida’s New College on April 12
- He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on May 2
Eight days after being charged with rape and sexual assault, Russell Brand will be a speaker at Florida’s New College, where the actor will discuss cancel culture.
Brand, 49, will also speak on censorship and free speech while being interviewed by Mark Famiglio, the chairman of the Sarasota Film Festival, during a speaking engagement scheduled for Saturday, April 12 at the college in Sarasota, Fla. The college announced Brand’s speaking engagement on Feb. 14.
The title of the event, which will be held at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion on the college’s campus and live-streamed on YouTube and Twitter/X, is “Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power.”
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The comedian was charged by the Metropolitan Police with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault following an investigation by detectives that began in 2023. The charges relate to four women.
The disgraced actor was first accused of sexual assault in September 2023 when five women spoke on their alleged experiences in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 current affairs show Dispatches.
Brand, who has said he “absolutely refutes” and denies the accusations, will appear in court on May 2.
“In a time when public pressure often seeks to silence rather than engage, New College of Florida is reaffirming its role in creating space for open inquiry—not eliminating it,” Alexandra Nicole Islas, Director of Public Policy Events for New College of Florida, shared in a statement with PEOPLE.
“After thoughtful consideration, we have decided to move forward with Russell Brand’s scheduled appearance as part of a broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech,” Islas added in her statement. “This is a reflection of our commitment to civil discourse and the belief that even challenging conversations deserve room in the public square.”
“While the justice system independently addresses other matters, our responsibility is to ensure a space where ideas—especially those that invite dialogue such as the topic of cancel culture and free speech, can be explored with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity,” the statement concluded.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis overhauled New College in 2023 by appointing six new, conservative board members to take the small institution in a new direction. At the time, critics called the move a “hostile takeover,” reports the Associated Press. After a new board was installed, New College President Patricia Okker was replaced with former Republican State House speaker and education commissioner Richard Corcoran, per the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Florida’s New College was also among the academic institutions affected by DeSantis signing a bill that aimed to eliminate funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from public universities and prohibit the teaching of critical race theory in general education courses.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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