(Berlin) Universal Music announced on Thursday that it has suspended the marketing and promotion activities of the German metal rock band Rammstein, after a wave of accusations of sexual assault against its leader.

“The charges against Till Lindemann shocked us. We have the greatest respect for the women who have spoken so bravely in public in this matter,” the label said in a statement.

“We have suspended marketing and promotional activities for the band’s recordings until further notice,” he added.

Several women have recently alleged that they were drugged and tricked into sexual activity with Mr. Lindemann, 60, at parties after the band’s concerts. German justice has opened an investigation.

Mr. Lindemann has denied the allegations and his lawyers have called them “false, without exception”.

German Culture Minister Claudia Roth said on Thursday that the investigation into Mr Lindemann “underlines the fact that these accusations must be taken seriously”.

In an interview with Berlin daily Tagesspiegel, Ms Roth called on concert organizers to take steps to keep fans safe.

“These accusations show once again how urgent it is to establish a code of conduct for the music industry, and for the cultural industry in general,” she said.

The scandal erupted when an Irish girl claimed on social media that she had been drugged and accosted by Mr Lindemann during a backstage party after a concert in Vilnius.

Since then, several similar testimonies have been published on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Outcry over the allegations led to the cancellation of all after-show parties at Rammstein’s concerts in Munich last week. After-show parties will also be canceled during the band’s concerts in Berlin in July.