Rock icon Bruce Springsteen on Wednesday released a song called “Streets of Minneapolis,” a tribute to activists who have been leading the uprising against federal immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities.
In a statement posted on social media, Springsteen explained his inspiration for the song, which he wrote in the wake of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti being gunned down by federal agents on Saturday, just weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three.
“I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” Springsteen said. “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors, and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
The lyrics to the song can be found below.
Through the winter’s ice and coldDown Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump’s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes Against smoke and rubber bullets By the dawn’s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringing through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home they killed and roamed In the winter of ‘26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Trump’s federal thugs beat up on His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Now they say they’re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights If your skin is black or brown my friend
You can be questioned or deported on sight In chants of ICE out now
Our city’s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home they killed and roamed In the winter of ‘26
We’ll take our stand for this land And the stranger in our midst
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
