Green Day, the popular U.S. rock band, honored children in Palestine during their headlining performance at the Coachella music festival, making a powerful statement of solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong changed the lyrics of the band’s hit song “Jesus of Suburbia” to highlight the suffering of Palestinian children amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Instead of singing the original line, “running away from pain when you’ve been victimised,” Armstrong sang, “running away from pain like the kids from Palestine.” This change resonated deeply with the crowd, drawing loud cheers in support.
The tribute came as Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza, targeting hospitals, shelters, and blocking essential aid, including food and medicine, from entering the region. The ongoing blockade has put at least 60,000 Palestinian children at risk of severe health issues due to malnutrition, according to Palestine’s Ministry of Health.
Online reactions to the lyric change have been overwhelmingly positive, with many users praising Green Day for calling attention to the plight of children in Gaza. One fan expressed, “I don’t feel any shame, I won’t apologize. When there ain’t nowhere we can go. RUNNING AWAY FROM PAIN LIKE THE KIDS FROM PALESTINE. OHMYGOD I LOVE GREEN DAY SO MUCH!!!!!” Another user wrote, “Billie Joe mentioning Palestine at Coachella when I have lost friends & family members due to this genocide is exactly why I love him & continue to defend Green Day with my life.”
In addition to the altered lyrics in “Jesus of Suburbia,” Armstrong also changed the opening lines of “American Idiot” to “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda,” a reference to former President Donald Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Armstrong has a history of supporting Palestine, including raising a Palestinian flag at a concert in Malaysia. Green Day is known for embedding political messages in their music. Their album American Idiot explores the post-9/11 landscape in America, critiquing economic and wartime policies.
In a March performance, Armstrong also altered the lyrics of “Jesus of Suburbia,” singing, “Am I retarded, or am I just J.D. Vance?” replacing the original line, “Am I retarded, or am I just overjoyed?”
Coachella, attended by 100,000 festival-goers, also saw solidarity for Palestine from U.S. politician Bernie Sanders. In a surprise appearance, Sanders introduced folk singer Clairo and praised her efforts to use her platform to advocate for women’s rights and push for an end to the war in Gaza.
At the same time, Irish band Kneecap reportedly criticized Coachella organizers for removing their pro-Palestinian message from the festival’s YouTube livestream. The band also called Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide during their Saturday performance.
Green Day’s performance at Coachella has sparked widespread discussion, highlighting the band’s commitment to using their music as a platform for political activism and support for Palestine.
Related Topics
