Bruce Springsteen delivered a no-holds-barred attack on President Donald Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement during an unannounced performance at New Jersey's Light of Day WinterFest on Saturday evening.
The 76-year-old rock legend took to the stage at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, where he condemned federal agents for deploying what he termed "Gestapo tactics" against American citizens in Minneapolis.
Before performing his 1978 track The Promised Land, Mr Springsteen dedicated the song to Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an Ice agent in the Minnesota city earlier this month.
The Boss described the song as "an ode to American possibility" about "both the beautiful but flawed country that we are, and to the country that we could be."
Bruce Springsteen branded Ice agent the 'Gestapo'
|GETTY
Addressing the crowd of approximately 1,500 people, Mr Springsteen argued that American ideals and values "have never been as endangered as they are right now" and that the nation faces its greatest test "in modern times."
"If you believe in democracy, in liberty, if you believe that truth still matters, that it's worth speaking out, that it is worth fighting for, if you believe in the power of the law and no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily armed masked federal troops invading American cities and using Gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you don't deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president," he declared.
Echoing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's recent statement, Mr Springsteen told the audience that "Ice should get the f*** out of Minneapolis," prompting thunderous applause.
Ms Good was killed on January 7 when Ice agent Jonathan Ross shot her just streets away from where George Floyd died during a police encounter in 2020.
Renee Nicole Good allegedly attempted to run over the federal agent with her car before shots were fired | FACEBOOKThe Department of Homeland Security has maintained that the agent acted in self-defence, though the circumstances of her death have inflamed public anger towards the federal immigration agency.
Her killing has significantly heightened friction between local residents and Ice officers operating in the city.
Earlier on Sunday, the Justice Department announced it would not pursue an investigation into Ms Good's death, a decision likely to further intensify the controversy surrounding the incident.
The shooting occurred amid the Trump administration's expanded deployment of immigration enforcement personnel to American cities, a policy that has drawn fierce criticism from local officials, including Mayor Frey.
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Bruce Springsteen: “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 exercizing your American right to protest, then send a message to this… pic.twitter.com/9DguCi8UJ6
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Mr Springsteen has been a vocal opponent of Trump for nearly a decade, frequently using his concert platform to criticise the president and his policies.
During the E Street Band's European tour last year, he told audiences in England that "the America I love, the America I've written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration."
Trump responded on Truth Social by calling the musician a "Highly Overrated" performer and "a pushy, obnoxious JERK," adding that he had "never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics."
The president also shared a meme depicting himself hitting a golf ball that strikes Mr Springsteen on stage.
Donald Trump is no stranger to Bruce's outbursts
| GETTYSpeaking to Time magazine in September, Mr Springsteen said he "absolutely couldn't care less" about Trump's opinion of him.
Reaction to Mr Springsteen's outburst has been mixed. After clips of him making the speech at his New Jersey concert went viral on social media, some X users urged the musician to stay out of politics.
"It's hard to believe this far-left anti-American greasebag was ever popular. What a POS," one critics harshly put, while a second reacted to the clip: "Bruce Springsteen is ignorant as ever. Everything he says is wrong."
"Springsteen hasn't been relevant for a long time. This isn't the 1980's anymore," a third weighed in on X, while a fourth hit out: "Another rich and famous, out of touch, self-righteous clown wants all of US to take in millions of illegal immigrants into OUR neighborhoods. From the comfort of his clean, safe, gated community btw. How f***ing generous of him!"
However, there were some who were in agreement, with comments of "absolutely" and "he's right" also among the reactions. One X user even said: "Proud of The Boss." (sic)