Women feel more and more supported and listened to due to the different social movements, although many believe that marches and other ways of raising their voices are useless, but that is because they do not know what it was like to live before that tide. To understand it, it is enough to look around us and observe how men and women no longer remain silent in the face of cases of injustice and a good example is that of María Zardoya, leader and vocalist of The Marias.
On November 13, the Puerto Rican singer used the official Instagram account of her group of indie pop to denounce the drummer of the band The Neighborhood, Brandon Fried, for sexual harassment. According to the story, both musicians met in a bar, but at some point during the night, Fried took the opportunity to touch María without her consent, so she decided to make the situation public with the following message:
I was in a bar last night and got groped under the table by Brandon Fried, the drummer for The Neighborhood. It was one of the most uncomfortable experiences he had ever experienced. I felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body. The Neighborhood, they need a new drummer, this guy is disgusting.
The statement spread rapidly, reaching the ears of the members of the American group, Jesse Rutherford, Zach Abels, Jeremy Freedman, Mikey Margott, who did not hesitate to act in the face of the unpleasant situation and expel Brandon, just like the interpreter of another sunset he proposed to them. The musicians made the dismissal official through their Instagram account with the following message:
We are grateful to Maria for coming forward. We have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior towards women. As a result of Brandon’s actions from him, he will no longer be a member of The Neighborhood.
— The Neighborhood (@thenbhd) November 13, 2022
We thank Maria for speaking up about this situation. We have zero tolerance for any type of inappropriate behavior towards women. As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighborhood.
Finally, Brandon Fried, 32, came out to offer a kind of apology through his Instagram account. Although in this he did not deny the facts of the accusation, he tries to justify himself with drug and alcohol problems.
I am terribly embarrassed with Maria. My actions were inexcusable and intolerable. They are not a reflection of who I am as a person, but they are a reflection of who I have become while under the influence. It is more than obvious that I have to address my alcohol and drug abuse issues, so I will seek help. I apologize to all women who have been the victim of any behavior that has made them feel uncomfortable. I also apologize to The Neighborhood and our ‘fans’ for letting them down.