The Strokes rock Coachella with bold CIA coup imagery and Iran-themed visuals on stage

INDIO, CA: The second weekend of Coachella has been set ablaze by a "sensational" and unapologetic political assault from American rock icons, The Strokes.

In a set that has already racked up over 3.7 million views on X, the band transformed the California desert into a theater of resistance, using their final performance of the song “Oblivius” to launch a blistering critique of the US "Steel Ring" doctrine and the history of CIA covert operations.

The protest reached a fever pitch as lead singer Julian Casablancas stood before massive screens displaying the portrait of Mohammad Mossadegh, the democratically elected Iranian Prime Minister overthrown in a 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup.

This "Operation Ajax" reference served as a lethal backdrop to the band’s condemnation of the current war, drawing a direct line from 20th-century regime change to the modern-day airstrikes currently decimating the Islamic Republic.

Montage of coups ‘alarms’ festival organizers

The band’s visual protest was a relentless "Full Court Press" of historical interventions. Imagery transitioned from bright mosques to the faces of fallen leaders like Patrice Lumumba of the Congo, Juan José Torres of Bolivia, and Salvador Allende of Chile.

The Strokes even highlighted the "unexplained" plane crash deaths of Omar Torrijos and Jaime Roldós Aguilera, accusing the US government of a global pattern of "deceptive practices" and orchestrated overthrows.

Perhaps the most controversial "Red Flag" came when the band cited a 1999 civil trial to accuse the US government of the murder of Martin Luther King Jr.

While the Department of Justice has previously stated that it found no evidence supporting such a conspiracy, the band’s remarks on the Coachella stage show a widening public divide between the administration and segments of the artistic community.

Event organizers have not issued an official response as the clip continues to circulate widely across social media platforms. 

Casablancas mocks ‘lego’ censorship and YouTube

In a moment that has since gone viral, Casablancas taunted the crowd and the government, admitting he was "tempted" to show the audience the infamous "Iran Lego videos."

These AI-generated clips, which use Lego-style figures to deliver pro-Iran messaging and criticize the US blockade, were recently scrubbed from YouTube for violating "spam and scams" policies.

“More facts than your local news. But they were taken down,” Casablancas quipped, blaming the "YouTube or government or whatever" for the disappearance of the Explosive Media channel. 

His sarcastic remark, "Land of the free, am I right?" served as a piercing "discovery" phase of the night, highlighting the friction between the administration’s "Maximum Pressure" campaign and digital freedom of expression.

Education under fire from Gaza to Tehran

The protest concluded with a pointed visual comparison focused on damage to educational institutions in conflict zones.

During the set, The Strokes referenced figures attributed to Iran’s Ministry of Science and Technology, which stated that more than 30 universities have been hit since US-Israeli airstrikes began earlier this year.

The segment also included footage of Al-Israa University, described as the last operational university in Gaza before its destruction in 2024.

The on-stage messaging comes amid a broader trend of artists using major platforms to address ongoing conflicts and humanitarian concerns.

The Strokes are among several performers, including Gigi Perez and the group Kneecap, who have incorporated political commentary into live performances in recent months.

These interventions have drawn both support and criticism, reflecting the wider global debate surrounding the conflict.

The timing of the performance is notable, as it comes just days ahead of a Wednesday ceasefire deadline tied to ongoing diplomatic efforts.

While the band did not directly reference negotiations, the inclusion of statistical claims and visual material underscored the scale of impact being discussed in public discourse.

Festival organizers have not issued an official statement on the content of the performance.

However, Coachella has historically allowed artists a degree of latitude in expressing political views on stage, provided that such expressions do not violate broadcast or safety guidelines.