Preston band Mobius Loop targeted by online troll in 'cancel culture' campaign

A Preston band has revealed how a campaign by an online troll attempted to get the group cancelled and their tour dates cancelled by labelling them as ‘far right’ and ‘racist’.

Folk-fusion pioneers Mobius Loop have been well known on the local music scene for more than a decade and a regular fixture and festivals throughout the UK and Europe.

This year should have been one of celebration for the band after spending the summer headlining grassroots festivals throughout the UK and hosting their own Peaceful World Festival.

The ban also founded the UK’s first Vegan Castle Housing Co-op.

However, all that was marred by an online campaign of hate against the band which they say was aimed at destroying their ability to earn a living from their music.

While the band was busy traveling the continent to hit an unprecedented milestone of performing at 100 different UK and European festivals, a darker, digital force was working behind the scenes to tear it all down.

A spokesman for Mobius Loop said: “Earlier this year a Facebook group run by anonymous accounts launched a coordinated online attack against the band, fabricating and spreading lies about Mobius Loop.

“Anonymous internet users weaponised digital ‘brigading’ tactics, mass messaging festival bookers, music venues, and any events the band was booked for in an attempt to get the band cancelled.

“The troll group's weapon? A wave of copy and pasted emails filled with unsubstantiated allegations attempting to paint the peace-activist band as sympathisers of far-right and fascist ideologies - a nonsensical false claim intended to cancel the band from the alternative music scene.]

“Thankfully the band has a documented history of live performances dedicated to peace and equality with messages of love for all earthlings within their lyrics as well as a mission statement on their website that debunks the false claims against them.

“Triumphantly not one single festival or venue bowed to the cancel culture campaign. This is a huge win for grassroots musicians and festivals who can often fall victim to the darker underbelly of anonymous troll accounts online.

“For many independent grassroots bands, a coordinated attack of this scale would spell ruin, but Mobius Loop have remained focused on their mission to spread peace and love through music and they are immensely grateful to the grassroots music scene for standing strong against cancel culture.”

Mobius Loop are now set to embark on their most successful tour to date: ‘The Right To Roam Tour’ and despite some anonymous accounts still attempting to cancel the band, they say tickets have been selling fast.

The cancel campaign struck its lowest blow when trolls targeted Co-operatives UK, the national body for housing co-ops, when members of the band launched The Vegan Castle Housing Co-Op in Somerset in May providing low income accommodation with community management of a historic building.

Co-Operatives UK were hit with a sudden influx of hostile messages, and they decided to pause their support for the project to conduct an investigatio

On its conclusion Co-Operatives UK wrote a formal message of apology to the band, declaring the claims against them entirely baseless.

A spokesman said: “Having investigated further, we have found no evidence of The Vegan Castle Co-Op or Mobius Loop promoting far right and fascist politics or activity.”