Overview

• During a weekend performance at Riot Fest in Chicago, Gwar decapitated a mannequin made to resemble Elon Musk, sending fake blood into the crowd.
• The show also included a prop depicting President Donald Trump bleeding on stage as part of the band’s theatrical routine.
• Short videos posted to X drew complaints that the stunt normalized violence against a real person, even as many attendees cheered and filmed.
• Riot Fest dismissed the criticism on X with a mocking post and later issued a profane reply to a user who called the timing inappropriate.
• Gwar has a long history of graphic stage antics, and prior shows have featured similar stunts, including a past beheading of a Joe Biden mannequin.