Green Day has been known for their politically fueled music and a day after the Charlottesville riots that left one woman dead and over 30 injured, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong spoke about the tragic events.
On Saturday, August 12 white nationalists gathered for the “Unite the Right” rally, protesting the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Things turned fatal when an alleged white supremacist drove a car into a crowd of counter protesters, killing 32 year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.
Also on Saturday, Virginia state troopers Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper Berke M. M. Bates were in a helicopter monitoring the rally, when their helicopter crashed, killing the two troopers. The previous night, white nationalists took to the streets and marched with torches toward the statue and were met with opposition, leading to a brawl between the groups.
Early Sunday morning after the band’s show in Omaha, Nebraska, the frontman opened up about the chaotic events of the weekend:
Omaha!! What a show! I love the heartland. Nothing makes me feel more inspired than hearing an arena singing together.. So many thoughts today.. My heart feels heavy. I feel like what happened in Charlottesville goes beyond the point of anger. It makes me sad and desperate. Shocked. I fucking hate racism more than anything. Music and social justice have always gone hand and hand with me. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for “the time they are a changing” .. some people don’t agree. The spirit of Green Day has always been about rising above oppression and sticking up for what you believe in and singing it at the top of your lungs. We grew up fearing nuclear holocaust because of the cold war. Those days are feeling way too relevant these days. These issues are our ugly past.. and now it’s coming to haunt us. Always resist these doomsday politicians and in the words of our punk forefathers .. Nazi punks fuck off. If someone tells you to shut up tell them to fuck off. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines and become complacent. Apathy is the kiss of death. P.S. If you think i’m going to stay quiet and about issues that mean something and “stick to music” then i suggest you go to a different Instagram where you feel safe.
Armstrong and Green Day will continue their current tour at the Klipsch Amphitheater on August 16 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Check out a video from their Omaha show below: