Bruce Springsteen unveils 'Streets of Minneapolis' song addressing city 'state terror'

Bruce Springsteen is using his music to address the political turmoil in Minneapolis.

The 76-year-old artist launched "Streets of Minneapolis," focusing on the continued protests against ICE and symbolising the city's fortitude, this past Wednesday (January 28). 

Springsteen's latest release coincides with President Donald Trump's intensified deportation efforts in Minneapolis, leading to weeks of unrest and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.

Springsteen shared the song's release in a reel on Instagram, featuring its cover art: a black and white image of protest placards reading "ICE OUT."

"I crafted this tune over the weekend, recorded it just yesterday, and now it's out for you, responding to the terror inflicted on Minneapolis. It's in honor of the Minneapolis community, our immigrant neighbors, and to remember Alex Pretti and Renee Good," the musician conveyed in the caption, concluding with, "Remain free."

Within the track, Springsteen describes "a city in flames [that] battled against fire and ice," incorporating imagery of the smoke, rubber bullets, and firearms now prevalent in the city's roads. He dubs ICE as "King Trump's personal force from the DHS" while challenging the agency’s stated aim to "uphold the law."

Springsteen also highlights Pretti, the ICU nurse fatally shot by ICE on Saturday, January 24, a pivotal moment stirring protest and outrage.

The lyrics resonate with the national anthem, as Springsteen sings: "Amid smoke and rubber bullets / As dawn approaches / Citizens demanded justice / Their voices reverberating through the night."

This song echoes themes from Springsteen's 1993 hit "Streets of Philadelphia," a poignant piece about an outsider seeking kindness yet not asking for it. 

It was originally composed for the movie Philadelphia, released in the same year, starring Tom Hanks, and addressing the HIV/AIDS issue.