Phil Anselmo (Down, ex-Pantera) has issued a public apology to his Down bandmates, following this week’s announcement that the band had been pulled from the lineup for the upcoming FortaRock festival (June 4th - 5th in Nijmegen, Netherlands).

“After the recent outbursts by singer Phil Anselmo during the Dimebash event in the US, his band Down is no longer welcome at FortaRock”, said organizers of the festival. “Anselmo ended the show in the US with a Nazi salute and shouted “white power". There has been close consultation between all parties recent days, since we wanted to make a well informed decision. On that basis, the decision is made to cancel the act. We want to make clear that there is no room for racism or fascism on FortaRock.”

Anselmo has now issued the following via his official website:

“To all this will concern,

“Every citizen in this entire world has the unalienable right to live with dignity and respect without hate or oppression. And I mean this, with all of my crushed, yet, guilty heart.

“It’s common knowledge that we can choose to either learn from our mistakes, or continue on a path of insensitivity and destruction.

“I am utterly responsible for the mistakes I have made, and can only give you my word to no longer do them in the present, through ACTION, not just mere words.

“My band mates are now experiencing the consequences of my behaviour, and I now publicly apologize to them as well. Never in my entire lifetime would I drag them down with me, and I’ve privately suggested to them that they move on without me.

“My biggest obstacle(s) are the over-indulging in the booze and blurting out spiteful, ignorant reductions of the human spirit itself. I will address these issues, head-on.

“I’m repulsed by my own actions, and the self-loathing I’m going through right now is justified by the hurt I’ve caused.

“I realize we live in a society where apologies are NOT accepted easily, yet long for a day when they can be, but I also understand if I’m shunned till I hit the dirt.

“From the bottom of my heart, and with all sincerity, I once again am truly sorry for the pain I have caused.

“With truth, love, hope & respect - Philip H. Anselmo”

On January 22nd at Dimebash 2016, which took place at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood, Anselmo took the stage at one point during the show. At the end of the performance of “Walk”, Anselmo ended the night with a Nazi salute, then screamed “white power” to the crowd.

Anselmo released a video apology saying he is a “thousand percent apologetic to anyone that took offence to what I said”, and asks for people to just, “give him another chance.”

Anselmo initially stated about the video:  "Ok folks, I'll own this one, but dammit, I was joking, and the 'inside joke of the night' was because we were drinking fucking white wine, hahaha... Of all fucking things. Some of y'all need to thicken up your skin. There's plenty of fuckers to pick on with a more realistic agenda. I fucking love everyone, I fucking loathe everyone, and that's that. No apologies from me.”