Tom Morello announces Defend Minnesota! fundraiser show with Rise Against
Tom Morello has announced a concert “of solidarity and resistance”, titled Defend Minnesota!, alongside Rise Against.
Taking to social media to announce the event, Morello shared the poster for the event, set to take place on January 30th at First Avenue, Minneapolis.
All proceeds raised at the event will go to the families of ICE victims, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were shot and killed by ICE agents on the streets of Minnesota in the last month.
The show will also feature Al Di Meola and Ike Reilly, as well as an unnamed very special guest.
In the caption for the event, Morello addressed the worsening political situation on the ground in Minnesota, sharing, “If it looks like fascism, sounds like fascism, acts like fascism, dresses like fascism, talks like fascism, kills like fascism and lies like fascism, boys & girls it’s f*cking fascism.”
He continued, “It’s here, it’s now, it’s in my city, it’s in your city and it must be resisted, protested, defended against, stood up to, exposed, ousted, overthrown and driven out. By you and by me.”
His calls to arms continued, “We are coming to Minneapolis, where the people have heroically stood up against ICE, stood up against Trump, stood up against this terrible rising tide of state terror. Where the people have stood up for their neighbors and themselves, for democracy and justice. Ain’t nobody coming to save us except us, and it’s now or never.”
Other musicians have opted to use their platform to speak out against the situation in Minneapolis. Bruce Springsteen has released a new protest song, ‘Streets of Minneapolis’, dedicated to both Pretti and Good.
Additionally, Billy Bragg has released a new anti-ICE song, ‘City of Heroes’, in honour of the city. Bragg said of the protest song, “The murder of Alex Pretti was horrifically shocking. All the more so as we are still reeling from the images of the murder of Renee Good. That these crimes can be committed in broad daylight, on camera, and yet no one is held accountable only adds to the injustice.”
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