A former member of the hard-core punk band the Cro-Mags attacked two of the group’s current members with a hunting knife in a dressing room before a show at Webster Hall yesterday — biting one and slashing both.

The band was about to take the stage about 8:15 p.m. when tattooed rocker Harley Flanagan, 42, barreled through the East Village venue’s VIP section toward the Cro-Mags’ dressing room, sending nearly 30 guests on the balcony into a frenzy, law enforcement sources and witnesses said.

“Someone was yelling, ‘Get his hands, get his hands, he’s got a knife!’ ” witness Dave Gustav said. “Everything went nuts.”
ROCKED: Harley Flanagan is wheeled out of Webster Hall last night after attack.
BoweryBoogie.com
ROCKED: Harley Flanagan is wheeled out of Webster Hall last night after attack.

Several beefy security guards rushed to contain Flanagan, who seemed about to boil over before he entered the East Village venue.

“I talked to him outside minutes before it happened and I knew something was going to go down,” a witness said, according to the Horns Up Rocks website. “He was like a lunatic outside. Next thing I know he’s in the VIP area stabbing people!”

Flanagan, the band’s former bassist and founder, suffered a broken leg by the time security finally pinned him down, witnesses said. Cops handcuffed him to a chair and took him out.

“People started booing him and throwing stuff at him,” eyewitness Justin Brannan said. “His hands were handcuffed but he still gave everyone the finger.”

William Berario, 45, was slashed above the eye and bitten on his cheek. Michael Couls, 33, — the band’s current bassist, who is known in the hardcore world as “The Gook” — was cut on his arm and stomach.

Both members of Cro-Mags were taken to Bellevue Hospital with non life-threatening wounds.

Flanagan, a New York native, was also taken to the hospital. He was hit with two counts of 2nd degree assault and weapons charges.

The melee forced the East 11th Street concert venue to cancel the show, which was part of the CBGB Festival and also featured the band Sick of It All.

“You can all thank Harley Flanagan for ruining the night for everyone,” Cro-Mags lead singer John Joseph McGowan told the crowd.

Harley has been and always will be a fucking idiot and scumbag.

Calling bath salts.

Met him once or twice back in the day, then was his fb friend... he got into a lot of name calling and weirdness on his posts, once even saying he "wasn't afraid to slap a b i c h " so he was deleted after that.

Was never a fan of NYHC (Im from Cali where Hardcore was born)...too much tough guy bullshit.I think NY is still mad that whiney suburban kids from LA minted hardcore and they always had the kind of ham fisted crappier version.

(DUCKS)

Did Half Life play D.C. the summer of 1986? Possibly at The Complex?

...and the midwest heroes made it real! (Negative Approach)

We played DC a lot, that sounds about right. Our biggest gig was one of those "Rock Against Racism" things in front of the Lincoln Monument on the bed of a semi-truck.

Couple times at Wilson Center, usually with GI's or Immoral Discipline ..... don't recall ever playing there with the Cro-Mags...