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Rage Against the Machine send cease and desist letter to Nigel Farage over 'Farage Against the Machine' podcast

The band say the politician 'brazenly and unlawfully exploits' their name and logo

Jack Shepherd
Wednesday 11 July 2018 09:54 BST
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Zack of Rage Against the Machine
Zack of Rage Against the Machine (Getty)

Nigel Farage’s new podcast has upset Rage Against the Machine.

Not just because of the right-wing rhetoric espoused by the politician, but because Farage has commandeered the band’s name for the podcast, titled Farage Against the Machine.

Yesterday (10 July), RATM’s main attorney Howard King sent a cease and desist letter to Farage’s team, obtained by The Blast, saying the LBC show “brazenly and unlawfully exploits our client’s name and logo.”

The strongly worded letter calls the situation odd as the band are left-leaning: ”the implication of any endorsement by our client of you or your policies is particularly abhorrent.”

“RATM has publicly denounced the type of right-wing ideology you espouse for decades; in fact, that has been an integral part of the band’s identity and purpose,” the letter reads.

“Your anti-immigrant rhetoric, lack of social compassion and barely disguised racism and xenophobia are the antithesis of what RATM stands for. Stop using RATM’s name and logo, change the name of your podcast and find some other target to troll. We suggest President Trump.”

Farage began the podcast earlier this year and has been releasing near weekly episodes ever since. Topics have included why Donald Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize, fake news, and interview with Piers Morgan, Nick Clegg and Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson.

Farage’s representatives have been contacted by The Independent for comment.

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