Political Song For Everyone To Sing: Rage Against The Machine Take On The Cops, Electricity

Rage Against The Machine Take On The Cops, Electricity

Yesterday, a free Rage Against the Machine show outside of the Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul that was scheduled to coincide with the Republican National Convention—which is taking place in that city—was shut down by local police, who claimed that the band couldn't play because it was going to take the stage too close to the show's 7 p.m. curfew, and besides, Zack de la Rocha and his pals didn't have the proper permits to perform, even though the rest of the festival apparently went on without incident. This year's RNC, like the ones in 2000 and 2004, has seen its share of protests and heavy-handedness on the part of law enforcement, so it probably isn't surprising that organizers of Ripple Effect, the festival where all this went down, are saying that state troopers tied up the band until it was too late for them to go on. After the jump, video of what happened after the mics were cut: de la Rocha led the 2,000-strong crowd in an a capella version of "Bulls On Parade," complete with simulated wah-wahs from the mouth of Tom Morello.

I suspect tonight's show at the Target Center—which is just across the river from the convention—will address these events in some fashion. Call it a hunch.

Police shut down Rage Against The Machine show (RNC videos). Band performs a cappella. [Prefix]
Ripple Effect ends in Rage [Star Tribune]

10:30 AM on Wed Sep 3 2008
By Maura Johnston
1,139 views
11 comments

Comments

by Mick Kraut at 11:01 AM on 09/03/08
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Heavyhandedness from the police? There is more to it than what Democracy Now! is telling people...I guess they forgot to mention the "protestors" dropping 90lbs bags of cement and bottles of urine from highway overpasses onto buses or the thugs who tried to tip over a busload of cub scouts heading into the arena.

That moves beyond simple "protest"...
by Maura Johnston at 11:07 AM on 09/03/08
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@Mick Kraut: Point taken. I guess the memories of Philadelphia '00 still linger.
by okiedoke at 11:08 AM on 09/03/08
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This is why I love music!
by Paul D at 11:19 AM on 09/03/08
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@Mick Kraut: Fine. Then arrest those people instead of wrongfully arresting journalists and photographers and people from Democracy Now.

The Minneapolis police are not remotely blameless.
by Mick Kraut at 11:19 AM on 09/03/08
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I am highly sensitive about protests not due to any personal experience, I just find them selfish and more about the protestors and less about their actual cause.

Your mileage may vary however...

Philly as a whole has the potential for lingering bad memories on so many levels! Of course as a child of Pittsburgh I am biased as we were taught several important things while growing up:

1). Hate Cleveland.
2). Hate Philly.
3). Love Donnie Iris.
4). Believe without question that Joe Gruscheky is the next Springsteen.

The sports list is more comprehensive but items #1 and #2 are unchanged...
by Mick Kraut at 11:22 AM on 09/03/08
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@Paul D:

I know that Democracy Now was putting alot of stock in their badges ability to exempt them but the police are not going to trust a press badge in a fluid situation...too easy to fake them...I have seen my fair share of protest activities and it is very possible to cover them from a safe distance effectively.

They made themselves part of the story, intentionally or not is another question.
by wakeupbomb at 11:34 AM on 09/03/08
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I'm headed to the Rage show in Minneapolis tonight. Rage takes the stage at 9:00...riot starts at 11:00.

Seriously though, I have a general admission floor ticket and I'm a little scared as to what is going to happen to me. I might die. hahaha
by PengIn at 12:07 PM on 09/03/08
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Pfft. In Chicago, we really know how to crack skulls at a convention. Now give us the Olympics.
by SlrRlz at 01:53 PM on 09/03/08
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Mick Kraut
You sure it wasn't a 90lbs "Zack" of shit?

That dude is so full of himself and those self-righteous Euro-hippie trust fund urinal cakes that surround him. And the beatboxing...sigh...if only I'd had a teargas canister I'd be looking at a fresh pair of Birckenstock trophies on the wall.

What's with all the Zackalomania? Perhaps the clue lies in the constant sniffling and nose wiping...
by Lax Danja House at 02:55 PM on 09/03/08
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I would feel sorry for Zach De La Rocha if he wasn't such a douchebag. At Lollapalooza, when people were trashing the barriers and crushing people, fuckhead stops the show and blurts out "save that shit for the streets!"

What planet do these morons live on? Oh yeah, the anti-capitalist millionaires planet...
by KirstynMalinky at 05:36 PM on 09/03/08
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Zack de la Rocha is a loudmouth punk.