AceShowbiz - The Strokes made a striking political statement at weekend two of Coachella, ending their performance with a provocative video that directly criticized the U.S. government’s foreign policy. The band debuted their song "Oblivius" live for the first time in a decade, using the moment to showcase a fiery montage that accused the CIA of orchestrating violent regime changes abroad and highlighted recent bombings in the Middle East.

The video displayed on the festival’s massive LED screens named several foreign political figures allegedly targeted by the CIA, including Panama’s Omar Torrijos, Guatemala’s Jacobo Árbenz, and Ecuador’s Jaime Roldós Aguilera. It also revisited the controversial claim that the U.S. was involved in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. As the montage played, viewers saw harrowing footage of Israeli bombings in Gaza and U.S. airstrikes in Iran, accompanied by captions such as “Over 30 universities destroyed in Iran” and “Last university standing in Gaza.”

Frontman Julian Casablancas amplified the message by repeating the chorus line from "Oblivius," asking the audience, "What side are you standing on?" before the band abruptly left the stage, leaving the video’s strong political charge to linger in the air. Notably, this was the first time The Strokes incorporated such an explicitly confrontational visual protest into their live set at Coachella.

This bold move follows Casablancas’ earlier onstage remarks during the festival’s first weekend, where he lampooned the idea of a military draft amid escalating tensions with Iran—blending dark humor with pointed political critique. Despite the intensity of the video, there has been no indication that The Strokes faced any backlash or will be excluded from future festival lineups. The performance was broadcast in full on Coachella’s official livestream, ensuring the message reached a vast audience beyond the desert stage.

Such a direct political intervention is relatively rare for major festival headliners, especially one of The Strokes’ stature in the indie rock world. Their choice to spotlight U.S. covert operations and global military actions adds to a growing trend of artists using large platforms to challenge government policies and amplify controversial issues. This follows last year’s highly contentious performance by Irish trio Kneecap, who openly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza during their Coachella set, sparking heated debate.

By combining powerful imagery with charged political content and their signature sound, The Strokes have reinforced their willingness to engage with global issues in a public forum. Their Coachella finale not only underscored their artistic evolution but also positioned them as one of the festival’s most outspoken acts this year, unafraid to confront audiences with uncomfortable truths amid the celebration of music and culture.