Sen. Bernie Sanders is seen after speaking during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Indio, California. Photo by Amy Harris/Invision via APWhen Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., made an unexpected stop at the Coachella music festival in Indio, California, the crowd roared. The festival appearance was a surprise addition to the Vermont senator’s ongoing national ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour, a series of events to unify progressive voters and fight corporate interests. During a three-minute speech, Sanders touched on the racial, economic and reproductive health care issues central to his platform. “The younger generation has to help lead in the fight to combat climate change, protect women’s rights, and build an economy that works for all, not just the few,” Sanders said in a post on X after the appearance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bernie Sanders (@berniesanders) The speech also mentioned President Donald Trump, eliciting boos from the audience. “I agree,” Sanders said in response. After warning the crowd of Trump’s ongoing threats to democracy, Sanders introduced musician Clairo to the stage, praising her progressive political advocacy.“I’m here because Clairo has used her prominence to fight for women’s rights, to try to end the terrible, brutal war in Gaza, where thousands of women and children are being killed,” Sanders said.The 83-year-old senator delivered the Coachella speech after a rally with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in Los Angeles earlier Saturday. A crowd of 36,000 showed up to that event, making it his largest rally ever, Sanders’ communications director Anna Bahr said in a post on X.READ MORE The Los Angeles rally marked the beginning of the second phase of the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. This week, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez will stop in Republican congressional districts in Idaho, California and Montana. In a video posted to the senator’s YouTube, he said he hopes to remind progressives that they are not part of a “fringe minority.” “I want people in the communities that we visit and people throughout the country to understand that they are not alone when they feel outraged by what Trump is doing to our country,” Sanders said in the video. Representatives from Sanders’ team were not immediately available for comment.Read the story on VTDigger here: Bernie Sanders makes surprise appearance at Coachella amid ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour. ...read more read less