Rage Against The Machine rocker Zach De La Rocha is throwing his weight behind a campaign to oust a law enforcer who dubs himself America's Toughest Sheriff.
Rage Against The Machine
The singer attended a recent protest against Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, following complaints in the U.S. Congress about his controversial crime prevention and punishment techniques.
His practise of forcing county jail inmates to eat spoiled food, wear pink underwear and swelter during the summer heat in outdoor tents has attracted criticism, and de la Rocha accuses him of being heavy handed with suspected criminals.
The star says, "Without the proper warrants, he raids the homes and workplaces of janitors and gardeners. At routine traffic stops he detains and deports mothers, violently separating them from their children, who are left abandoned."