politics

'Not afraid of controversy': Edinburgh fringe rejects calls to cancel Amanda Knox comedy

Festival organisers defend show after criticism from sister of Meredith Kercher, Knox’s murdered former flatmate

'Not afraid of controversy': Edinburgh fringe rejects calls to cancel Amanda Knox comedy

TL;DR

  • The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will not cancel Amanda Knox's comedy show, "Cartwheel," despite opposition.
  • Stephanie Kercher, sister of murder victim Meredith Kercher, condemned the show, stating it "normalises and trivialises violence against women."
  • Knox, who was acquitted of murder charges, claims her show is about motherhood and honors Meredith Kercher's memory.
  • Fringe organizers stated they are "not afraid of controversy" and that decisions about shows lie with artists and venues.
  • The venue, Gilded Balloon Teviot, highlighted the fringe's open-access nature and commitment to freedom of expression.
  • Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of Kercher's murder and released from prison in 2021.