Bruce Springsteenhas called for ICE to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis” during a surprise appearance on stage in New Jersey.
The Boss has been a dedicated and longstanding critic ofDonald Trump’s presidency, and when he appeared at the LightOfDay Winter Festival in his home stateyesterday (January 17), he took the opportunity to renew his call for action against the administration.
Introducing ‘The Promised Land’, he said: “I wrote this song as an ode to American possibility. It was about a both beautiful but flawed country that we are, and the country that we could be”.
“Right now, we are living through incredibly critical times,” he continued. “The United States, theidealsand the values for which it stood for the past 250 years, is being tested asit’snever been in modern times.”
Turning his attention to recent news, he added:“If you believe in the power of the law and that no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using Gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you don’t deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest,send a message to this president as the mayor of that city has said, ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis.”
As he began to play the ‘DarknessOnTheEdgeOfTown’ track, he concluded: “This song is for you and the memory of a mother of three, American Renee Good.”
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Good, 37, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on January 7. The killing has triggered mass protests across the country, with many, including Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota governor Tim Walz, calling for ICE to end their presence in the city. Trump and many of his followers, meanwhile, have defended the shooting, saying the agent acted in self-defence.
Springsteen spoke about the ICE raids in Los Angeles last summer, saying: “There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers. So what’s going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy.”
He has alsocalled for Trump to be impeached, saying he should be “consigned to the trash heap of history”,andhas alsodescribed him as “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous”.In October,he endorsed the No Kings movementamid widespread national protests.
Trump has also hit back at the Boss,describing him as “highly overrated”,anda “pushy, obnoxious jerk”.
Elsewhere, the Springsteen biopicDeliver Me From Nowherewas released last year, withThe Bear’sJeremy Allen Whiteplaying the musician.It received afour star review fromNMEwhich said: “WhatDeliver MeFromNowhereshows well is just how commercial success was a distant second to Springsteen – a man who had no choice but to rip those ‘Nebraska’ songs from his wounded heart.”
Director Scott Cooper recentlysaid that Springsteen was keen on more potential films following the release of the biopic.
“There’s so many chapters in Bruce’s life, in all seriousness, that are quite right for cinematic treatment,” Cooper added. “That’ssomething quitehonestlythat Bruce and I have discussed.I think hereally loves this film.He’sloved the experience.”