He might be 83 years old, but Bernie Sanders can still kick it with the kids. The senior Democrat brought a motivational message to the youngsters at the Coachella music festival this week, telling them to ‘stand up and fight for justice’.
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What did Bernie Sanders tell the Coachella crowd?
The festival is one of the largest of its kind on the planet, and attracts visitors from all corners. The cultural extravaganza has evolved in recent years, with the list of performers expanding beyond the music world.
Though Bernie Sanders didn’t have his own slot, he was invited on stage to introduce Clairo. Before the singer’s set got underway, the Senator for Vermont walked out to cheers from the audience, which kept coming as he addressed gig-goers directly.
“This country faces some very difficult challenges. And the future of what happens to America is dependent on your generation. You can turn away and ignore it, but if you do that, it’s at your own peril. We need you stand up and fight for justice.
“We have got a President of the United States [audience boos]… yes I agree… and he thinks climate change is a hoax. You and I will have to stand up to the fossil fuel industry, and tell them to stop destroying this planet.” | Bernie Sanders
‘Fight Oligarchy’ rally draws 35,000 attendees
Earlier in the day, Sanders also led a protest against the Trump Administration. The ‘Fight Oligarchy’ rally took aim at authoritarianism and the threat to democracy stateside, while also raising concerns about a ‘rigged economy’.
He was joined at the rally by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the left-leaning representative for NY14. The self-styled progressive is being tipped as a serious player in the next Democratic Primaries, and was able to help draw 35,000 people to yesterday’s event.