Radiohead demand ICE remove ‘Let Down’ from social media video

Radiohead call on ICE to remove ‘Let Down’ from social media post featuring the song

Radiohead have demanded that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement remove their song from a video shared on the agency’s social media accounts.

On February 27, the British band issued a statement to several outlets after their track was used in a post by ICE.

The group said, “We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain't funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don't get to appropriate it without a fight. Also, go f-ck yourselves...”

The video, posted on February 18 in a cross-post with the Department of Homeland Security and The White House, featured photographs of individuals described by the agency as victims of those who have “no right to be” in the United States.

The caption read, “Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal, illegal alien violence. American citizens raped and murdered by those who have no right to be in our country.” It concluded: “This is who we fight for. This is our why.”

The music used in the clip was a chorale cover of “Let Down”, originally released on Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer. As of writing, the post remains online.

Earlier in February, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood also requested the removal of his music from the documentary Melania.

A statement on behalf of Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson said he had not been consulted about the use of the Phantom Thread score and described it as a violation of his composer agreement.

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has previously criticised Donald Trump on social media, including comments made in 2017 and during the 2020 election campaign.