The Strokes End Coachella 2026 Set with Video Criticizing CIA and Gaza Bombings
The Strokes ended their Coachella 2026 set with a political video criticizing the CIA and showing footage of bombed universities in Gaza and Iran. The montage displayed images of leaders allegedly targeted by the CIA and clips of destroyed schools.
The Strokes delivered what's being called the most provocative political statement of Coachella 2026 during their weekend 2 set. The band ended their performance with a video montage that directly criticized U.S. government actions overseas.
The video showed images of world leaders who were allegedly targeted or killed by the CIA. It also displayed footage of rubble in Iran with text reading "over 30 universities destroyed in Iran." The montage included a clip labeled as the "last university in Gaza" being destroyed by an air missile strike.
Video from the festival showed the screen turning black after the footage of Gaza airstrikes, creating what witnesses described as a stark and somber ending to the set. The political statement came during the second weekend of the major California music festival.
The move follows a growing trend of musicians using high-profile concert stages to make statements about international conflicts and U.S. foreign policy.
Major artists using big stages to make political statements can shift public debate and influence how people think about foreign policy. This shows how entertainment venues are becoming platforms for protest against government actions abroad.
Watch for reactions from festival organizers and other Coachella performers to The Strokes' political statement.
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