Last week, Anti-Flag, the long-running and successful political punk band from Pittsburgh, announced their sudden breakup while they were in the middle of a European tour. The band offered no explanation beyond a Patreon update that “Anti-Flag has disbanded,” and they took down their website and deactivated all of their social media platforms. The band’s members didn’t offer any explanation for the breakup, but the breakup came the day after a release of a podcast episode in which a woman told a story about being raped by the frontman of an unnamed political punk band. All signs seemed to point to Anti-Flag leader Justin Geever, who goes by the stage name Justin Sane. Now, Geever has made a statement, and his ex-bandmates have done the same.

Brooklyn Vegan reports that Geever denies the allegations against him calling them “categorically false” and says that Anti-Flag broke up because “under these circumstances it would be impossible to continue.” Here’s Justin Sane’s complete statement, already published on both Brooklyn Vegan and PunkNews:

Recently, there have been claims of sexual assault made against me and I can tell you that these stories are categorically false. I have never engaged in a sexual relationship that was not consensual, nor have I ever been approached by a woman after a sexual encounter and been told I had in any way acted without her consent or violated her in any way. Now that I have had a few days to absorb the initial shock, I am making this statement to set the record straight.

Sexual assault is real and has a devasting impact on victims. I have devoted my entire adult life to standing up for these victims as well as those suffering oppression and inequality, who are victimized, demeaned, and abused. I have always been, and will always be, that person. The statements being told about me are the antithesis of what I believe and how I have conducted myself throughout my life.

In regard to Anti-flag disbanding, as a band, the decision was made that under these circumstances it would be impossible to continue.

I want to thank my family and friends, and the many, many fans, musicians, and bands who have reached out to me to offer their support and help.

Justin Sane’s former bandmates Pat Thetic, Chris Head, and Chris “#2” Barker have issued a statement of their own writing that they’ve been “shocked, confused, saddened and absolutely heartbroken” by the allegations against Justin Sane and that they decided to break up because it’s “a core tenet of the band Anti-Flag” to believe survivors of sexual abuse. Here’s their statement:

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.

We have been shocked, confused, saddened and absolutely heartbroken from the moment we heard these allegations. While we believe this is extremely serious, in the last 30 years we have never seen Justin be violent or aggressive toward women. This experience has shaken us to our core.

We understand and apologize that this response may not have been quick enough for some people. This is new territory for all of us and it is taking time for us to process the situation.

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.

– Chris, Chris, and Pat

If you or someone you know is undergoing sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.