MORRISSEY has canceled an upcoming leg of Italian tour dates after being “terrorized” by a police officer in Rome on Tuesday night.

 

MORRISSEY’s nephew, Sam Esty Rayner, detailed the alleged confrontation in a Facebook post. According to Rayner, the officer demanded the singer’s “papers.” After failing to produce them, “the Officer shouted very loudly and a crowd of over 100 people gathered. The Officer held his gun throughout the confrontation. After 35 minutes, MORRISSEY walked away, and the Officer did not follow.”

 

Rayner also provided a quote from Morrissey, which states: “This was a deliberate act of terror by this Officer, who had no personal identification, but whose Polizia 113 motor-bike had the plate G2458. I had not broken the law or acted suspiciously. The officer unlocked his gun and held it as he screamed into my face. Some people came to my rescue. This happened outside the Nike store, and many people filmed the obviously insane officer. I believe he recognized me and wanted to frighten me. I did not back down even though I believed he was about to shoot me. I urge people to beware of this dangerously aggressive Officer. He might kill you.”

 

Following the incident, MORRISSEY has opted to scrap seven “proposed live dates,” Rayner told Rolling Stone.

“Obviously, with psychopaths like this on the loose, it is not safe for me to be in Italy,” the singer said through his nephew.

 

Read Rayner’s original Facebook posted at this location.