Fans Blast The Presets After Band Calls For Bali Nine Clemency

Australian electro duo The Presets have launched a heated debate online, after they shared a series of Facebook posts regarding Bali Nine prisoners, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

The boys blasted the death penalty which the two Australian citizens face within days after they were arrested in 2005 for drug trafficking, referring to it as "state sanctioned murder" in the posts.

"If you believe in state sanctioned murder, are against compassion and think you are above making mistakes... please... unfollow us, delete all our music and stop listening to us altogether. peace." they wrote on Saturday. 

Soon after, they again took to social media to vent more in an all caps post to reveal that their first single in 2007 and the longest charting single in Australian chart history, My People, was in fact written about asylum seekers under the John Howard Government.

"WE HAVE A SERIOUS SITUATION CONCERNING STATE SANCTIONED MURDER OF CONVICTED
DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN INDONESIA AND PRESETS FANS SHOW THEIR SUPPORT AND UNFORTUNATELY THE BIGOTS COME OUT." 

"DEBATE IS GREAT IF YOU'RE NOT A TOTAL DICKHEAD. PLEASE BRING SOME SMARTS."

The ARIA award winning act may have underestimated the support of their fans however, with some bluntly disagreeing with their comments.

"Presets logic: refuse to criticise the actions of criminals but will criticise any form of punishment handed to criminals. Stop trying to impose your world view on other cultures." one fan said, while another user wrote: "How come we get told to "bring some smarts" but the Presets get to respond to fan comments with "fuck off" or calling people cunts. If anyone needs to bring smarts to this debate it's you guys...

Surprisingly, The Presets were having none of it and went as far as to abuse their fans.

"if you agree with murder, lack compassion and openly display those views on our page then yes, you are a total cunt and can fuck off . I don't care if that offends, if you truly have delicate sensibilities then surely you are not a passive murderer" they responded. 

It didn't stop there as they told one fan who took exception to the abuse that: " you say something dumb or off topic then be ready to get ripped. Game on." while they simply replied to another "you're a dickhead."

UPDATE: The Presets drummer took to the band's Facebook page on Monday to apologise for some of the heated comments he made over the weekend.

"OK. Obviously that all got a bit out of control yesterday. I feel strongly about this issue but that’s still no excuse for getting personal ... SORRY."

"After a long deep breath here’s what I was trying to say under all that emotion:

I personally believe that no Government should have the right to take away somebody's life."

"I personally believe that State sanctioned killing almost never does any good and it often does great harm. I therefore think it's nearly always a bad idea. Of course other people have the right to disagree (respectfully) with me about that, and I have the right to disagree (respectfully) with them too."

"To avoid any more confusion, I’m not supporting drug trafficking. I’m not singling out Indonesia. I’m not saying crimes shouldn’t be punished and I’m not saying this case is unique. I’m also not saying that I’m any kind of expert. However, I am entitled to my point of view - same as everybody else - and in that respectful spirit, both my heart and my head profoundly disagree with State sanctioned killings such as these.

KIM"