Amanda Knox is defending her upcoming comedy show, Cartwheel, following public criticism and a petition from the family of Meredith Kercher.

Amanda Knox, who was acquitted of the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher, is defending her sold-out solo comedy show, Cartwheel, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show, which covers motherhood and the 2007 case, has faced calls for cancellation from critics who argue it trivializes violence. A petition against the performance has garnered nearly 5,000 signatures.

Criticism from the Kercher family

Stephanie Kercher, the sister of the victim, expressed concern that the show could normalize and trivialize violence against women and her sister. She urged Knox to consider the impact on the Kercher family and friends, suggesting that Knox should reflect on how she would feel if the situation involved her own sister.

Knox's response to the controversy

Knox stated that her daughter is a primary motivation for the show, which she describes as an exploration of how the world is unsafe and unfair toward women. She argued that she is not the first person to use comedy to address trauma and suggested that the Kercher family would recognize her intent if they watched the performance.

Background of the 2007 case

Knox and Kercher were exchange students sharing a house in Perugia, Italy, when Kercher was found dead in 2007. Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were initially convicted of the murder but were later acquitted by Italy's top appeals court in 2015 after a series of legal proceedings. Rudy Guede was convicted of the murder and served 13 years of a 16-year sentence.