Pussy Riot have released a new song called “Riot”, inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests that continue to take place in cities across the world. The track also reportedly takes inspiration from the recent arrest of Pussy Riot member Peter Verzilov.
Last month (June 21), Verzilov was arrested and interrogated about his alleged involvement in Moscow riots in 2019, and was eventually sentenced to 15 days in jail for “swearing”.
A statement from Pussy Riot, released after the charges were made, suggests that Verzilov was actually held “to prevent him from doing any art activist actions in the next few weeks” (specifically, the days leading up to the July 1 vote that would allow Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036).
In “Riot”, Pussy Riot sing: “Yeah sex is great but have you ever fucked the system?” The lyrics also deal with anxiety arising from police, politicians, and rising fascism.
Recently (May 29), the group also shared the track “1312”, which deals with police brutality and arrived alongside the collaborative performance of a “Manifesto Against Police Violence”. Subsequent photos shared to the group’s social media showed members attending an LA protest in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
Listen to “Riot” below.