After Melania Trump’s documentary used a Jonny Greenwood composition without permission, it is now Radiohead who have experienced a similar situation. ICE used ‘Let Down’ in one of their latest videos, one in which they illustrated “our why.” The British band has been accurate in its response: “Fuck you.”
The video released by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the agency that controls ICE, consists of a series of images of people who, supposedly, had been injured in some way by immigrants. “This is our why,” it reads at the end of the video. In between, the most exciting part of ‘Let Down’.
Radiohead’s statement came a few days after the video was uploaded: «We ask that the fans who control the ICE social media account take down the video. It’s not fun, this song means a lot to us and to a lot of people, and we don’t allow you to take it over without first fighting,” they demanded. “Also, screw you,” the statement concluded.
Radiohead are not the first to have a run-in with ICE over the unauthorized use of their music in propaganda. It’s already happened to other artists like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter or SZA.
