The Strokes performed at Coachella with a set that included political content, according to multiple reports. The performance featured visuals of world leaders whose deaths have been allegedly linked to the CIA, as reported by Metro. These visuals included Panama's Military Leader Omar Torrijos, former President of Guatemala Jacobo Árbenz, former President of Ecuador Jaime Roldós Aguilera, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The visual for Martin Luther King Jr. S. government was found guilty of his murder in a civil trial, Metro reported.
The band also highlighted missile strikes in Gaza during their set and noted that over 30 universities were destroyed in Iran, according to reports. The screen abruptly cut to black during the set, with many claiming the images were cut off by production, though the reason for the cutoff remains unclear. ', according to multiple reports.
Fans suggested The Strokes risked being banned from Coachella due to their political set, as reported by Metro. On social media, one viewer, Zaf, commented that this moment ensured the band would never set foot in Coachella again, expressing pride in them. S.
political crimes, with the crowd frozen. It is unknown whether The Strokes will face any consequences, such as being banned, from Coachella or other festivals due to their political content. This performance follows recent political commentary from the band.
Last week, Julian Casablancas and his bandmates poked fun at the proposed military draft linked to the ongoing Iran war. According to Metro, Julian Casablancas described being tempted to show Iran LEGO videos at Coachella, claiming they contained more facts than local news but were taken down from YouTube, though the specific videos and reason for removal are unclear. Casablancas publicly endorsed Bernie Sanders for US President in 2020.
In contrast, Justin Bieber is the highest-paid Coachella headliner ever, but he attracted criticism for bringing out a laptop and searching on YouTube to find his old music to sing along to at Coachella. The broader context of political content at festivals includes Kneecap's politically charged set being omitted from the Glastonbury 2025 coverage by the BBC. Viewer Jodie C.
noted on social media that if the BBC were live-streaming The Strokes' set, it might have been cut with a notice about the band returning to their home planet. Fan reactions were mixed, with some expressing newfound respect. Viewer Julie said on social media that she didn’t know much about The Strokes before but gained respect for them, calling it fantastic.
The accuracy and source of the claims made in the visuals, such as over 30 universities destroyed in Iran and the alleged CIA links to leaders' deaths, have not been independently verified.