Rage Against the Machine has returned to the stage for their first show in 11 years and shared a special message directed at the US Supreme Court.
The rock band - comprising Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk - performed at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin over the weekend, which was their first performance together in more than a decade.
The group's Public Service Announcement tour was first announced in 2019 and originally scheduled to start in 2020 ahead of the US presidential elections, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
During their set on Saturday (July 9), the band shared politically-charged statements aimed at the SCOTUS over its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The band displayed a message on the screen that read: "Forced birth in a country that is the only wealthy country in the world without any guaranteed paid parental leave at the national level."
Check out the video below:"Forced birth in a country where Black birth-givers experience maternal mortality two to three times higher than that of white birth-givers," the message continued.
"Forced birth in a country where gun violence is the number one cause of death among children and teenagers," they added before the final message that read: "ABORT THE SUPREME COURT" which audience members then erupted into cheers.
The direct message comes after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Mississippi law that bans abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy, while also overturning key precedents established by the 1973 decision in Roe v Wade.
After the news of the reversal, the group also announced on Instagram on June 25, that the $475,000 in ticket sales from the Alpine show and the shows at the United Center would go towards reproductive rights organizations in Wisconsin and Illinois.
It's no surprise that Rage Against The Machine spoke out against the Supreme Court at their concert. The band's anti-establishment music, which criticizes racism, wealth inequality, and powerful institutions, has become their signature.
One of the group's most famous songs, 'Killing in the Name,' was inspired by the beating of Rodney King at the hands of Los Angeles police and the riots against police brutality that followed.
The band joins several other musicians that used their platform to speak out against the ruling. At the Glastonbury festival last month, Kendrick Lamar said "Godspeed for women’s rights," and Phoebe Bridgers led chants of "f*** the Supreme Court".
Rage Against the Machine’s next stop on their 12-country tour will be Chicago’s United Center on Monday (11 July).
