Rock group Green Day say they “fully support” the protests against US president elect Donald Trump.
“I don’t think any of us were prepared for Donald Trump to be president,” singer Billie Joe Armstrong told the BBC.
“I think there’s going to come a time when the protests get larger and larger – and that I fully support.”
The star, who has been an outspoken critic of Mr Trump, said he felt like his “country is being set on fire”.
Protests against a Trump presidency have broken out across the US, with demonstrations in New York, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Baltimore and San Francisco.
Twenty-six people were arrested in Portland, Oregon on Thursday night after violence broke out amongst demonstrators.
Green Day were in London when the Republican’s victory was announced, shortly after they collected the Global Icon award at Sunday’s MTV Europe Awards in Rotterdam.
Speaking to the BBC on Friday afternoon, 44-year-old Armstrong said the news was still sinking in – but refused to criticise Green Day fans who voted for Mr Trump.
“If there’s anybody who, because of this election, feels like marginalised in any way, those are the people I feel the most sympathy for.
“So whether you’re black, brown, white, gay, straight, trans, Muslim – those are the people I want to rally with.”
A Green Day concert is a “safe house for anyone who feels marginalised” he added.
‘Find a solution’
Formed in 1986, Green Day have been one of the most political bands of their generation, notably on the 2004 album American Idiot, which expressed anger at the war in Iraq and the presidency of George W Bush.
Their latest album, Revolution Radio, debuted at number one last month, and tackles topics including America’s mass shootings and the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I write songs when I’m confused or scratching my head and asking why things are happening in the world,” Armstrong said.
“You’re trying to make sense of what’s going on and what’s happening to you – and somehow through it you can find kindred spirits or a solution.”
However, he said he had been unable to write since the US election.
“It’s really hard to laugh when you’re scared.”
[bbc]
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