Heavy metal act GWAR has people up in arms over their gross-out performance at Riot Fest in Chicago this past week.
The group, which is known for its cartoonishly gory live act, was accused of glorifying violence after footage of their festival set escaped the music world and made it to the more conservative reaches of the internet.
In clips, a bandmate is seen decapitating an Elon Musk mannequin wearing a DOGE shirt and wielding a paper-mâché chainsaw, sending streams of fake blood towards the cheering crowd. At another point in the performance, GWAR disemboweled an effigy of President Donald Trump.
While faux executions are a standard part of GWAR’s schtick, some denounced the shock-rockers for their act.
“This is incitement. They know exactly what they’re doing,” conservative social media agitator, Libs of TikTok, cried in an X post. “Democrats can’t help themselves. They love promoting violence.”
