Editing Anti-Flag (section)

===Breakup (2023)===
On July 19, 2023, the band posted an update on their [[Patreon]] announcing their disbandment and the intention to refund fans who were subscribed. Following this announcement, their website was taken down, and the band's social media accounts were deleted.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-19 |title=Anti-Flag Deletes All Social Media, Patreon Suggest Break Up of Band |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/80523/anti-flag-deletes-all-social-media-patreon-suggest-break-up-of-band |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720014238/https://www.punknews.org/article/80523/anti-flag-deletes-all-social-media-patreon-suggest-break-up-of-band |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=Punknews}}</ref> The band was on tour in [[Europe]] at the time of their disbandment, due to support [[Dropkick Murphys]] at a show in [[Prague]] on July 21; the band also planned to tour in [[North America]] alongside [[The Bouncing Souls]] in fall 2023.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=2023-07-20 |title=Anti-Flag Announce Break Up Following Possible Rape Accusations Against Frontman |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2230667/anti-flag-announce-break-up-following-possible-rape-accusations-against-frontman/news/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720173321/https://www.stereogum.com/2230667/anti-flag-announce-break-up-following-possible-rape-accusations-against-frontman/news/ |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=[[Stereogum]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=DiVita |first=Joe |date=2023-07-20 |title=Political Punks Anti-Flag Delete Social Media + Website, Break Up After 13 Albums |url=https://loudwire.com/anti-flag-break-up-delete-social-media-website/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720183326/https://loudwire.com/anti-flag-break-up-delete-social-media-website/ |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=[[Loudwire]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |last=Denis |first=Kyle |date=2023-07-21 |title=Political Punks Anti-Flag Announce Surprise Split |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/anti-flag-break-up-statement-surprise-1235376201/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721195100/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/anti-flag-break-up-statement-surprise-1235376201/ |archive-date=2023-07-21 |access-date=2023-07-21 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> When asked to offer a statement regarding the breakup, the band's publicist declined to comment.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Jazz |date=2023-07-20 |title=Anti-Flag Break Up |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/anti-flag-break-up/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720173039/https://pitchfork.com/news/anti-flag-break-up/ |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=[[Pitchfork (magazine)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref> ''[[Stereogum]]'' and ''[[Us Weekly]]'' linked Anti-Flag's July 2023 breakup to a podcast episode released on July 19, the same day as the band's dissolution, that leveled possible accusations of sexual assault against "a singer in a political punk band" believed to be frontman Justin Sane.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Kaitlin |date=2023-07-20 |title=Punk Band Anti-Flag Abruptly Breaks Up After 35 Years Amid Their European Tour |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/anti-flag-breaks-up-amid-amid-european-tour-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721195559/https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/anti-flag-breaks-up-amid-amid-european-tour-2/ |archive-date=2023-07-21 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=[[Us Weekly]]}}</ref>

On July 26, Sane released a statement through his personal [[Instagram]] account denying the accusations and calling them "categorically false"; in his statement, Sane also explained the length of time before he made a statement, stating that he needed time to "absorb the initial shock." Meanwhile, Thetic, Head, and Barker released a statement expressing their shock and sadness upon hearing the allegations, starting with, "A core tenet of the band Anti-Flag is to listen to and believe all survivors of sexual violence and abuse. The recent allegations about Justin are in direct contradiction to that tenet. Therefore, we felt the only immediate option was to disband." Their statement ended with, "It was a privilege for us to be in the band Anti-Flag. As we seek to find our path forward we wish healing to all survivors."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Jazz |date=2023-07-26 |title=Anti-Flag Issue Statements on Breakup and Sexual Assault Allegation Against Justin Sane |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/anti-flag-issue-statements-on-breakup-and-sexual-assault-allegation-against-justin-sane/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726200827/https://pitchfork.com/news/anti-flag-issue-statements-on-breakup-and-sexual-assault-allegation-against-justin-sane/ |archive-date=2023-07-26 |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref> Following an [[Investigative journalism|exposé]] published by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in September – revealing twelve additional women and girls who accused Sane of sexual misconduct, "serious sexual assaults", [[Grooming (child abuse)|grooming]] and rape – Thetic, Head, and Barker released a second statement directly condemning Sane, stating they believed he was "in need of serious professional help" and that "it appears you used our beliefs as a cover for egregious activities that you clearly knew we would never condone."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07 |title=Ex-Anti-Flag Members Address Disgraced Singer Justin Sane In New Statement |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2235496/ex-anti-flag-members-address-disgraced-singer-justin-sane-in-new-statement/news/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230910144924/https://www.stereogum.com/2235496/ex-anti-flag-members-address-disgraced-singer-justin-sane-in-new-statement/news/ |archive-date=2023-09-10 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=[[Stereogum]]}}</ref><ref name=":5" />

In November 2023, the original accuser from the July podcast episode sued Sane for sexual assault under the New York [[Adult Survivors Act]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Roundtree |first=Cheyenne |date=2023-11-22 |title=Anti-Flag's Justin Sane Sued for Sexual Assault |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anti-flag-justin-sane-sued-sexual-assault-1234879770/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323124638/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anti-flag-justin-sane-sued-sexual-assault-1234879770/ |archive-date=2024-03-23 |access-date=2024-03-23 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Slingerland |first=Calum |date=2024-03-21 |title=Anti-Flag's Justin Sane "Plans to Flee" the US, Sexual Assault Accuser Claims |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/anti-flag-justin-sane-plans-to-flee-united-states-sexual-assault-accuser-claims |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323123727/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/anti-flag-justin-sane-plans-to-flee-united-states-sexual-assault-accuser-claims |archive-date=2024-03-23 |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=Exclaim! |language=en}}</ref> In an [[Amended complaint|amendment to her initial complaint]] in March 2024, the accuser questioned the rest of the band members' insistence that they were unaware of Sane's actions, accusing Thetic, Head, and Barker of being "aware of [Sane]'s practice of sexually assaulting young women and girls," and claiming that the band's self-owned [[distribution company]], Hardwork Distribution, "aided and abetted such behavior." The accuser also stated that "the band was approached about [Sane]'s predatory behavior at least 25 years ago and did nothing to stop him. They chose their business prospects over the welfare of their fans. For decades, these men financially and socially benefited from [Sane]'s predation while pretending not to see it."<ref name=":6" /> The accuser also claimed the band unsuccessfully attempted to "coax [her] forgiveness through a [[restorative justice]] process". At least three of the girls and women who spoke to ''Rolling Stone'' for the September 2023 exposé also claimed that Thetic, Head, and Barker were present when Sane brought teenage girls and young women backstage and on the band's tour bus.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Roundtree |first=Cheyenne |date=2024-03-19 |title=Anti-Flag's Justin Sane 'Plans to Flee U.S.,' Rape Accuser Claims |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anti-flag-justin-sane-geever-rape-lawsuit-1234989849/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320204825/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/anti-flag-justin-sane-geever-rape-lawsuit-1234989849/ |archive-date=2024-03-20 |access-date=2024-03-20 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> In March 2024, the accuser's legal team stated that they believed Sane had approximately 60 victims and that one witness who came forward and had their testimony included in the accuser's lawsuit claimed that at a 2002 album release party in Pittsburgh, they witnessed "the members of Anti-Flag [mingling] outside the venue with clearly underage girls" who appeared "to be between 14 and 15 years old," and that Sane and other band members were "hugging and inappropriately kissing them."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waltz |first=Amanda |date=2024-03-29 |title=Under mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, Pittsburgh's Anti-Flag has become a disappearing act |url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/arts-entertainment/pittsburghs-anti-flag-has-become-a-disappearing-act-under-mounting-sexual-misconduct-allegations-25677881 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509213150/https://www.pghcitypaper.com/arts-entertainment/pittsburghs-anti-flag-has-become-a-disappearing-act-under-mounting-sexual-misconduct-allegations-25677881 |archive-date=2024-05-09 |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Pittsburgh City Paper |language=en}}</ref>

Within days of Anti-Flag's breakup, several bands announced their departure from the band's record label [[A-F Records]], including Celebration Summer, Darien Gap, [[Hanalei (band)|Hanalei]], Reconciler, Sammy Kay, and Wolves & Wolves & Wolves & Wolves.<ref name=":5">{{Cite magazine |date=2023-09-05 |title=The Punk-Rock Predator |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/anti-flag-justin-sane-1234817170/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230905185508/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/anti-flag-justin-sane-1234817170/ |archive-date=2023-09-05 |access-date=2023-09-05 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Reconciler release statement about association with A-F Records |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/80542/reconciler-release-statement-about-association-with-a-f-records |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723234608/https://www.punknews.org/article/80542/reconciler-release-statement-about-association-with-a-f-records |archive-date=2023-07-23 |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Punknews}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Hanalei, Darien Gap, and Celebration Summer part ways with A-F Records |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/80536/hanalei-darien-gap-and-celebration-summer-part-ways-with-a-f-records |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723234649/https://www.punknews.org/article/80536/hanalei-darien-gap-and-celebration-summer-part-ways-with-a-f-records |archive-date=2023-07-23 |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Punknews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-20 |title=Wolves & Wolves & Wolves & Wolves part ways with A-F records |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/80532/wolves-and-wolves-and-wolves-and-wolves-part-ways-with-a-f-records |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723234800/https://www.punknews.org/article/80532/wolves-and-wolves-and-wolves-and-wolves-part-ways-with-a-f-records |archive-date=2023-07-23 |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Punknews}}</ref> The band American Television also announced they would find another way to distribute their upcoming album without the aid of Anti-Flag or the band's record label.<ref name=":4" /> In September 2023, members of Anti-Flag informed that they were "in the process of unwinding the label, including returning master rights and physical records/merchandise to the bands," although they stated this would "take some time to complete properly."<ref name=":5" />