The Department of Homeland Security used a choral rendition of the band's song 'Let Down' in a video that promotes ICE - and Radiohead responded quickly and bluntly.
Celebrated British band Radiohead has issued a statement condemning the unauthorised use of a cover of their song ‘Let Down’ in a video by the Department of Homeland Security, which runs ICE.
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Their song, which appears on the band’s seminal 1997 album ‘OK Computer’ and went viral on TikTok last year, plays in the background of an Instagram video displaying individuals who it insinuates have been harmed in some ways by immigrants.
The caption below the video reads: “Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal illegal alien violence. American citizens raped and murdered by those who have no right to be in our country. This is who we fight for. This is our why.”
Radiohead were quick to decry the use of the song, sharing a brief and blunt statement which reads: “We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight. Also, go fuck yourselves…”
This is not the first time a band or artist has condemned ICE’s unauthorised use of their music. In November, Olivia Rodrigo condemned ICE for using a section of her song ‘All-American Bitch’ in a video depicting ICE officers detaining people.
Radiohead’s statement also comes after the band’s guitarist Jonny Greenwood bemoaned that a segment of his Phantom Thread score had been used in Melania, Brett Ratner's documentary about first lady Melania Trump. Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson requested that the music be removed from the film – to which producer Mark Beckman replied that it would be “in the film forever.”
Calls condemning the actions of ICE have grown more widespread following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January.
Bruce Springsteen called for ICE to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis” and wrote an anti-ICE protest song titled ‘Streets Of Minneapolis’. Rock band U2 followed suit by releasing a “defiant”, politically-charged EP titled ‘Days Of Ash’.
One song on the EP, ‘American Obituary’, references Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer.
The song features the lyrics: “Renee Good born to die free / American mother of three / Seventh day January / A bullet for each child, you see / The colour of her eye / 930 Minneapolis / To desecrate domestic bliss / Three bullets blast, three babies kissed / Renee the domestic terrorist???"
Renee Good, 37, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on 7 January. Her death triggered mass protests across the country.
Alex Pretti, also 37, was killed on 24 January by an officer who shot him 10 times in a few seconds. Pretti had been part of the peaceful protests unfolding in the wake of Good’s death.
