The Strokes Show CIA Overthrow Video During Coachella Performance
The Strokes played a video montage during their Coachella performance Saturday showing alleged CIA government overthrows and recent bombings in Gaza and Iran. The band displayed the political visuals while performing their 2016 song 'Oblivius.'
The Strokes turned their Coachella set into a political statement Saturday night, displaying controversial video footage during their performance of 'Oblivius.' The visuals included a timeline of governments allegedly overthrown by the CIA over the years, mixed with recent footage of Israel bombing Gaza and U.S. military strikes on Iran.
The montage also featured images of presidents from developing nations whose governments were overthrown with alleged CIA involvement, plus footage of Martin Luther King Jr. and scenes from America's history of slavery and segregation.
Fans on social media had mixed reactions. Some praised the band for taking a political stand, calling it 'stunning and brave.' Others criticized bringing controversial political content to a music festival.
The Strokes have been politically active before, but rarely this directly. Using one of America's most-watched music festivals as a platform for anti-government messaging represents a significant escalation in how artists are mixing entertainment with political activism.
Music festivals rarely feature explicit political content, making this a bold statement at one of America's biggest entertainment events. The performance shows how artists are using major platforms to make political statements about foreign policy.
Watch for reactions from other Coachella performers and whether the festival addresses political content.
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