A Germany concert arena canceled its R. Kelly contract following the musician’s “not guilty” plea on 10 sexual abuse charges.
The Ratiopharm Arena announced Tuesday on Facebook that the April concerts had been canceled due to new facts emerging in the Kelly case, according to NBC News. (RELATED: R. Kelly Pleads Not Guilty To 10 Counts Of Sexual Abuse Charges)
“Regarding the new and objective facts, we have decided to cancel the contract,” the arena wrote. “We regret the fans’ understandable disappointment and ask them to turn to the tour’s organizer” for reimbursement.
Rolling Stone reported that the arena originally defended the choice to host the R&B singer’s concert after the Lifetime series “Surviving R. Kelly” was released. Based off the idea of “innocent until proven guilty,” the arena released a statement saying they made “contractual arrangements” to cancel the concert if “new facts” arose in early February.
R. Kelly was released from prison Monday after entering a “not guilty” plea to 10 counts of sexual abuse charges in Cook County, Chicago. According to TMZ, Valencia Love, a friend of Kelly’s, posted his $100,000 bail saying the money was not hers and that she was just helping a friend. (RELATED: R. Kelly Released From Jail, First Stops At McDonald’s)
The Chicago businesswoman wrote to TMZ, “As a friend if he says he’s innocent, I can only believe that he’s innocent.”