Tom Morello has once again delivered a fiery political statement, using a New York City anti-ICE protest to call out what he described as rising authoritarianism in the United States.
The Hands Off NYC Protest demonstration saw the Rage Against the Machine guitarist take to the stage on Tuesday night, where he launched into a blistering speech condemning immigration enforcement tactics, Donald Trump and what he repeatedly labelled fascism (Per Alternative Nation).
Opening with his trademark bluntness, Morello told the crowd: “I’m Tom Morello and f*ck ICE.”
From there, the guitarist delivered an impassioned address that drew loud cheers from attendees as he criticised ICE operations and broader US immigration policy.
“It’s that if it looks like fascism, sounds like fascism, acts like fascism, dresses like fascism, talks like fascism, kills like fascism, and lies like fascism, brothers and sisters, it’s f*cking fascism,” Morello said.
He accused immigration authorities of employing “Gestapo tactics” and shared a personal story involving what he described as a close family friend being detained and deported.
“A close family friend was recently kidnapped by ICE. A grandmother, a law-abiding, hardworking grandmother,” he told the crowd.
Tom Morello’s Speech at Hands Off NYC Protest
The most headline grabbing moment
This came when Morello directly flipped anti-immigration rhetoric on its head:
“Oh, and if you really wanna make America great again, here’s an idea: Stop deporting grandmothers and gardeners and field workers and schoolkids, and start deporting f*cking racists.”
The speech also saw Morello invoke the Statue of Liberty, condemn white supremacy and urge Americans to organise peacefully against what he called a “motherf*cking authoritarian clown show.”
The outspoken guitarist has long used his platform for political activism, both through his solo work and across decades with Rage Against the Machine.
Political confrontation has always been baked into the band’s DNA, but Morello’s latest remarks are among his sharpest public statements in recent months. As expected, the speech has sparked fierce reactions online, with supporters praising the guitarist for speaking out while critics accused him of inflammatory rhetoric.
Either way, Morello made one thing crystal clear: he’s not interested in toning it down.
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