Finneas disclosed that he had been caught in the midst of tear gas during a peaceful protest against immigration raids in Los Angeles on Sunday. "Almost immediately as this highly peaceful demonstration commenced in the heart of the city, they resorted to tear gas—virtually inciting violence," the Grammy-winning music producer angrily penned on Instagram. A spokesperson for Finneas did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.
Sunday witnessed multiple protests erupting across the city, with thousands taking to the streets to denounce Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented immigrants in the region. Amidst this, Finneas voiced his stance on Instagram, writing, "Fuck ICE," alongside several reposts about the protests and raids, one of which boldly stated, "if you support this fascist nonsense, you are petty, weak, and destined to fail."
President Donald Trump dispatched California's National Guard to quell the protests on Sunday, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to formally request the Trump Administration to "revoke their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County and restore them under my command." Newsom emphasized, "We faced no issues until Trump intervened. This constitutes a grave violation of state sovereignty, escalating tensions while diverting resources from their genuine requirements."
Finneas was not alone among prominent musicians lending their support to the protesters this weekend. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day posted a video on his Instagram on Sunday, captioned with a middle finger emoji and an ice cube, expressing his solidarity in a unique and symbolic manner.
As the protests unfolded in downtown LA, organizers of the BET Awards, scheduled to take place at the Peacock Theater on Monday night, reaffirmed on Sunday that the show would proceed as planned. However, they assured that the network "remains steadfast in ensuring the safety of our guests and staff. We are collaborating closely with the LAPD and closely monitoring the situation."
