14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday One Direction received a heavy PR blow, and so did their fans. In a video leaked by the Daily Mail, two members of the band, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, could be seen smoking a joint in the back of a car in Peru.
The response from the fans was quick. They all took to social media to condemn drugs and the behavior of their idols. They also began tearing up tickets and burning them as a sign of protest. Today, reports show that things have gone beyond a couple of kids protesting.
Ticket resale site Viagogo, shows a surge of 80% in the resale of One Direction concert tickets, indicating that a significant number of fans have decided to skip on their performances. The band's representatives have yet to release an official statement, but they might want to get working on that soon, because the issue is beginning to hurt their reputation and their sales figures.
In the 5-minute video that is believed to have been filmed on April 27, when the band was in Lima, Peru, for a concert, Tomlinson and Malik can be seen passing a cigarette between them, and Tomlinson says, “So here we are, leaving Peru. Joint lit. Happy days!”
The other two members of the band, Harry Styles and Niall Horan, aren't present in the car, but fans are still upset that the band has become associated with drugs. So upset in fact, that they are ready to resale their tickets at a loss, in order to skip going to their concerts.
The only thing that One Direction management has said is that the video shot by the boys has been obtained illegally and they are now investigating the matter with the help of their legal department. “This matter is in the hands of our lawyers,” they have said.