Tom Morello’s message to Tommy Robinson at Download Festival
Tom Morello, the guitarist of Rage Against The Machine, took a stand against the far-right activist Tommy Robinson during his performance at the Download Festival. Held at Donington Park in England on June 14th, Morello made a bold statement regarding Robinson, also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. On the back of his guitar, the words “Fuck Tommy Robinson” were displayed, which were projected on the big screen as Morello held it up to the camera. This act was reminiscent of his past performances, such as at Boston Calling in 2025, where he used a “Fuck Trump” backdrop to convey a similar message.
At the Rock for People festival in Czechia, just the week before, Morello had the phrase “Smrt fasismu” written on his guitar, which translates to “Death to fascism.” Despite these strong statements, Robinson has not publicly responded to Morello’s actions at the Download Festival. Interestingly, on June 13th, Robinson, the former leader of the English Defence League, was detained at Heathrow Airport under the Counter-Terrorism Border Security Act 2019, where his phones were seized, according to reports in The Guardian.
On the musical front, Morello recently released an anti-fascist anthem titled ‘Adjourn It,’ which features his 15-year-old son, Roman. This song will be included in Morello’s upcoming solo album from the independent record label Mom + Pop. The song’s powerful lyrics include messages like, “Make them pay for their crimes, adjourn it, never buy their racist lies, unearth it, help our brother sisters stay, they’ve earned it.” Morello described the song as a call for justice in times of injustice, inspired by the persecution of immigrants and the resistance against fascism, emphasizing the need to advocate for freedom, justice, and equality.
Through these performances and music releases, Tom Morello is using his platform to express his beliefs and advocate for social justice. His actions at the Download Festival serve as a reminder of the power of music and art in conveying political messages and sparking conversations about important societal issues. Morello’s unwavering stance against figures like Tommy Robinson exemplifies his commitment to fighting against oppression and injustice through his music and public platform.