The sister of Meredith Kercher has criticised Amanda Knox's upcoming Edinburgh Fringe show, saying it 'normalises and trivialises violence against women'.
Background to the case
Meredith Kercher, a British foreign exchange student, was killed in Perugia, Italy, in 2007. Her American roommate, Amanda Knox, was arrested and later convicted of murder and sexual assault in 2009, along with her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
The couple maintained their innocence and, after years of legal battles, were acquitted by Italy's highest court in 2015.
Knox's Edinburgh Fringe show
Knox is set to perform a show called Cartwheel at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. The title references a story that she did cartwheels in a police station after Kercher's death.
Stephanie Kercher told BBC Breakfast: 'It's left a massive void in our lives, and Amanda is naturally free to continue with her life as she wishes, but I think the problem with this particular project is that it is comedy.'
She added: 'And whilst I appreciate comedy is there to push the boundaries… it very much normalises and trivialises violence against women and Meredith in particular.'
Family's objections
Kercher said the show targets an individual traumatic case and family, and that Meredith would not have found it funny. She said: 'I have read certain comments that she's made that Meredith would have found it funny, and Meredith absolutely wouldn't find these topics of any comedy value.'
In an interview with The Telegraph, Knox said she believed Kercher would 'appreciate the show because it grapples with what it means to be a young woman, and it is honest', adding she thought her late roommate would have found it 'funny'.
Stephanie Kercher said the Edinburgh Fringe, known for its credibility and opportunities for artists, should not give a platform to something that affects many people. She said: 'It's not about whether people think she's guilty or innocent, if someone else was doing the show specifically against Meredith, I would still feel the same.'
Petition and response
A petition to cancel the show has been launched. In a statement on Instagram, Knox said neither the author nor signatories have seen Cartwheel, and that the petition 'contains many false assumptions and completely mischaracterises the show'.
The statement added: 'Cartwheel honours Meredith Kercher's memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me.'
Knox has previously said she would be willing to speak to Kercher's family about the show, which she claims does not 'joke about Meredith's death'. She has shared her story in documentaries, a TV drama produced with Monica Lewinsky, and books.
Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of Kercher's murder in 2008 and released from prison in 2021 after serving 13 years of a 16-year term. Both Knox and the Edinburgh Fringe have been contacted for comment.
