Senator Bernie Sanders took the stage at Coachella in California on Saturday night in a bid to galvanize festivalgoers to stand up to Donald Trump‘s policies.
The 83-year-old addressed the crowd ahead of introducing singer and activist Clairo.
Before his address, Sanders, the U.S. Senator for Vermont, was at a rally in Los Angeles as part of a wider speaking tour aimed at holding the Trump administration to account.
“This country faces some very difficult challenges, and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation,” he said to a cheering crowd.
“We need you to stand up to fight for justice, to fight for economic justice, social justice and racial justice,” he continued.
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At the mention of Trump’s name the crowd began to boo, to which Sanders responded, “I agree.”
He went on to briefly outline the importance of universal healthcare, protecting abortion rights, mitigating the impacts of climate change — which he said Donald Trump has labelled a “hoax” — and to spotlight the impacts of economic inequity in the U.S.
Sanders also commended Clairo for speaking up on behalf of women in Gaza. The senator, popular amongst young people, lost the Democratic presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton in 2016 before running again as former president Biden’s last major competitor in 2020.
Sanders, who is not affiliated with any party, has been seen on several occasions in recent weeks alongside Democratic New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The pair are on a joint anti-oligarchy campaign aimed at Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
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You can listen to Sanders’ speech in the video, top.
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