Pussy Riot have shared a new song, inspired by the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests.
‘Riot’ also appears to reference the recent arrest of band member Peter Verzilov, who was accused of being a “potential suspect of inciting mass riots”.
Read more: “It’s a cry out for justice”: on the scene at London’s Black Lives Matter protest
“We stand with the protesters for racial equality and justice,” the band in a statement accompanying the new track. “We demand to defund the police and punish killer cops.”
The lightning fast track, which features production from Berlin-based artist IXXF, sees Pussy Riot taking aim at the police and calling for justice.
In the track, frontwoman Nadya Tolokonnikova sings: “Yeah sex is great, but have you ever fucked the system?” Listen to the new track below.
RIOT (feat. IXXF)
Last month, Pussy Riot’s Peter Verzilov was arrested and interrogated for 13 hours by police under suspicion of organising riots in July of 2019.
‘1312’ is a critique of femicides (sex-based hate crimes) in Latin America, as well as police violence. It is said to be inspired by Chile’s 2019 inequality protests.
Pussy Riot also recently said that they had a music video shoot shut down by police in Saint Petersburg.
According to the band, the police allegedly cited the country’s “gay propaganda” law, and accused the band of “extremism” and “making an illegal video” for their song ‘БЕСИТ / RAGE’.