NOTE: This story contains language that may be disturbing to some readers. Please read at your own discretion.
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong told fans during a concert in London that he will renounce his United States citizenship, just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
For 50 years, Roe v. Wade set a legal precedent that guaranteed the right to an abortion in the U.S. Friday’s 6-3 decision by a majority conservative bench now leaves individual states open to ban or restrict abortion.
Armstrong, 50, addressed the widely criticized ruling during a Friday performance of the Hella Mega tour, whose other headliners include Weezer, Fall Out Boy, and others.
“F–k America. I’m f–king renouncing my citizenship. I’m f–king coming here,” Armstrong told U.K. concertgoers.
Speaking over cheers from the audience, Armstrong continued, “There’s too much f–king stupid in the world to go back to that miserable f–king excuse for a country.”
Armstrong seemed serious about his intentions, telling fans to be prepared: “You’re going to get a lot more of me in the coming days.”
Green Day has long been critical of the U.S. government, especially conservative politics. Their 2004 hit American Idiot is an often-used protest song and was written in response to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
According to British reports, Armstrong said, “F–k the Supreme Court of America” before playing the song.
Reactions to Armstrong’s announcement on social media were mixed, with some denouncing the decision and others finding it in line with Green Day’s politics. Others wondered if he will actually go through with it.
Read more:
Weekly survey: Is Billie Joe Armstrong serious about renouncing his American citizenship?
Armstrong wasn’t the only artist protesting the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The Glastonbury festival took place in the U.K. over the weekend and performers Olivia Rodrigo, Phoebe Bridgers, Megan Thee Stallion and Kendrick Lamar used their time on stage to condemn the ruling.
Rodrigo joined Britain’s Lily Allen on stage to sing Allen’s hit F–k You, dedicated to the five Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn the precedent.
Rodrigo said she was “terrified and devastated” by the news that abortion would no longer be a federally guaranteed right. “So many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” she said.
Bridgers led a “F–k the Supreme Court” chant during her set and Megan Thee Stallion declared, “My body my motherf–king choice.”
On Sunday night, Lamar wore a crown of thrones soaked in fake blood and ended his set by chanting “Godspeed for women’s rights, they judge you, they judge Christ.”
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.