On Wednesday, Dropkick Murphys, the iconic Celtic punk band known for their catchy tune “I’m Shipping up to Boston,” announced a significant decision: they’ve decided to step away from future Punk in the Park festivals. This shift comes after they discovered that the festival’s organizer had contributed to Trump’s campaign.
In an Instagram video, the band confirmed, “Punk Rock and Donald Trump just don’t belong together. So upon finding out that Brew Ha Ha promotions donated to the Trump campaign, we will not be playing any more Punk in the Park shows.” This proclamation was made by frontman Ken Casey, who articulated, “The far-right ain’t the new punk.”
Recently, they completed a performance in Denver, but this will be their last involvement with the Punk in the Park series.
On the other side of the discussion, Cameron Collins, the owner of Brew Ha Ha and festival organizer, responded with his own statement shared through his social media. He acknowledged, “We live in a two-party system, and unfortunately, you must choose based on a few important issues that resonate with you. For me, those issues were the promise to end wars and refrain from entering new international conflicts, lower taxes, and stopping government overreach.” He asserted that while he hasn’t supported many of Trump’s viewpoints, the festival itself has not contributed to any political party.
The Federal Election Commission records indicate that Collins made several small donations to the Trump National Committee, Never Surrender, and WinRed last year. The first two funds aim to back President Trump’s agenda, while WinRed claims to be “the only fundraising platform built exclusively for conservatives.”
As a band that aligns with the left-leaning movement, Dropkick Murphys have openly opposed Trump for a while now. Back in March, Casey didn’t hesitate to call out a fan donning a “Make America Great Again” shirt during a concert. After a little wager and confirming that the MAGA shirt was produced in Nicaragua, he had the fan swap it for a “proudly made in America Dropkick Murphys shirt.”
Reflecting on their stance, Casey remarked, “We don’t care if we lose fans because when history’s said and done, we want it known that Dropkick Murphys stood with the people, we stood with the workers.”
Punk in the Park has a lineup of events scheduled throughout the year, including upcoming shows in California, Oregon, and Arizona. You can find out more details about the festival on the official site.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
