Pussy Riot rehearses ahead of the show they will be performing at Banksy's Dismaland on the 25th of September. Photo: Vianney Le Caer for the Pussy Riot
Pussy Riot rehearses ahead of the show they will be performing at Banksy’s Dismaland on the 25th of September. Photo: Vianney Le Caer for Pussy Riot

Activist Russian punk band Pussy Riot has taken up the mantle of a new cause: refugees from war torn Middle Eastern nations. “We believe in solidarity with human beings in need, wherever they are from, whatever their background. This is not a question of politics or nationality, but of saving human lives,” said the band in a recent press release.

Pussy Riot rehearses ahead of the show they will be performing at Banksy's Dismaland on the 25th of September. London, U.K. Thursday 24th of September 2015 Photo credit: Vianney Le Caer for the Pussy Riot vianney.lecaer@gmail.com Instagram @vlecaer
Pussy Riot rehearses ahead of the show they will be performing at Banksy’s Dismaland on the 25th of September. Photo credit: Vianney Le Caer for Pussy Riot

In accordance with this stance, Pussy Riot has released a new video, “Refugees In.” Filmed during the band’s performance at famed street artist and activist Banksy’s pop up ‘bemusement park’ Dismaland, the video is dedicated to the refugees flooding into Europe to escape the various wars of the Middle East. As many European countries have been turning away these people, they are forced to enter Europe illegally or be bused back to the very lands they are fleeing from. Pussy Riot sees this as an unmitigated crisis, “ISIS will win if Europe rejects the value of multi-culturalism and is terrified by the threats of extreme-right politicians. When Europe closes its borders, it will tumble back to the previous century; the era of nationalism.” To this end, the band is going back to the studio to fight right wing conservatism through the most powerful weapons in their arsenal: music and videos. As member Nadya Tolokonnikova says,”We are planning to release a lot of disturbing videos next year, we hope that you will not like them.”

“Refugees In” lyrics: 
Met in Europe by razor wires,
Governments here fucking liars
Desperate people who need to flee
Seeking refuge by land and sea
Push for borders, get no peace
Fuck the police like we’re in greece

Cage me in cage me out
Refugees in, nazis out
Governments here should feel the shame

Fucking liars, you’re to blame

Fuck the police
Like we are in Greece

Destroy piece by piece
This conservative disease

Huff and puff and smash it up
Burst, blast, blow it up
Cage me in cage me out
Refugees in, nazis out
Governments here should feel the shame

Fucking liars, you’re to blame

Cage me in cage me out
Refugees in, nazis out
Governments here, should feel the shame,

Fucking liars, you’re to blame
You’re to blame

Cage me in cage me out
Refugees in, nazis out
Governments here, should feel the shame,

Fucking liars, you’re to blame
You’re to blame

Cage me in cage me out
Refugees in, nazis out
Governments here, should feel the shame,

Fucking liars, you’re to blame
You’re to blame

Bombing people out of homes
We want peace, not fucking drones

Push, push borders away!
Push borders, do it today!
Human beings –
not a swarm Injustice –
government norm

Cage me in cage me out
Refugees in, nazis out
Governments here, should feel the shame,

Fucking liars, you’re to blame
You’re to blame
Pussy Riot rehearses ahead of the show they will be performing at Banksy's Dismaland on the 25th of September. Photo: Vianney Le Caer for the Pussy Riot
Pussy Riot rehearses ahead of the show they will be performing at Banksy’s Dismaland on the 25th of September.
Photo: Vianney Le Caer for Pussy Riot

Words: K. Hules

Photos: Vianney Le Caer

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