A co-owner of Melbourne’s Spice Market club has commented on the evening Ruby Rose says she was assaulted by Katy Perry nearly 20 years ago, saying the two appeared ‘drunk’ at the venue.
Rose has alleged that Perry sexually assaulted her at the Melbourne nightclub in 2010.
“I was only in my early 20s. I’m now 40. It has taken almost 2 decades to say this publicly,”
the Orange Is the New Black actor said while speaking about the alleged incident.
“Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes. Thank you for seeing me,”
Rose later claimed the singer “rubbed her disgusting vagina” on her face, and said it led her to “projectile vomit”.
Representatives for Perry have strongly denied the claims, rejecting the allegations made about the ‘Firework’ star and describing Rose’s comments as ‘reckless lies’.
Rose, meanwhile, has said she has filed a police report.
The alleged incident is said to have happened at Spice Market, and one of the venue’s owners—who was reportedly present that night—has now shared his recollection in an interview with the Herald Sun. The man has not been publicly identified.
He told the outlet that Rose had asked for Perry to attend the club.
“They came in together, they were also with Katy’s hair and make-up girl and another guy who was friends with Ruby,”
he said.
“It was a security nightmare because there were 600 people there and Katy kept coming out and dancing with everybody and going right in the middle of the mosh pit.”
He added that the two spent time in a roped-off section with friends, and said he did not witness anything resembling an assault. He also claimed both appeared intoxicated but friendly.
“They were drunk, they weren’t paralytic or anything and just like any other person drinking at a nightclub,”
he said.
“But being conscious of them both being public figures, we didn’t want someone taking photos of them drunk like that.”
According to the Herald Sun, the club visit came after Perry and Rose allegedly turned up at a Year 12 formal at the Grand Hyatt.
The report claims Perry took a microphone at the event and performed ‘California Gurls’ for the students.
Elsewhere, footage and past appearances involving the pair have resurfaced as discussion continues.
While Perry is currently in Australia for the ‘Hello Katy’ tour, Rose previously interviewed her for Australian broadcast news show The 7pm Project—ending the conversation by saying:
‘the most exciting thing that’s happened to me all week is that Katy Perry now follows me on Twitter’.
Rose has also pointed to the timeline around the night she says the assault occurred, alleging that before Spice Market they attended Melbourne High School’s formal at the Grand Hyatt, and that Perry sang along to ‘California Gurls’, which had recently been released.
In another earlier clip, Rose was interviewed at the Australian premiere of Perry’s concert documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me. Rose said:
“I love Katy to bits and I was just with her at the hotel before.
“I get to see the real Katy and then I come and watch the film where everyone sees the real Katy.”
Rose has also criticised Perry publicly in the past, including comments about the track ‘Swish Swish’—a song many believed referenced Taylor Swift.
Rose tweeted:
“Purposeful poop” to “bomb a petit” to a sloppy mess of writing over the top of Funkagenda..stop trying to make ‘Wit..I mean “fetch” happen.”
The post referenced Perry’s “purposeful pop” tagline, played on the title ‘Bon Appetit’, and claimed ‘Swish Swish’ sampled Funkagenda. It also used ‘Wit’ in a nod to the album Witness, and included a Mean Girls reference.
Rose then added:
“I’ve always stood up for the people I love and against things I think are cheap or mean spirited. That’s not new.”
Two days later, she tweeted again:
“Being mean doesn’t suit me and leaves me feeling dirty.
“Get so triggered when I think bullies don’t get held accountable and it makes me think I should say something.. but it’s not [my] place
“I have always believed strongly that Karma exists and the truth always surfaces however I’m not god and I can’t decide when or how that is.”
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via
online.rainn.org.