"White Riot" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash, released as the band's first single in March 1977 and also included on their self-titled debut album. Strummer pointed out that inner-city black youth were now fighting back against poverty and heavy-handed policing. "White Riot" was a call to arms to white youth to fight back in the same way and have, in the words of the song, "a riot of my own".
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The single's cover photograph was taken by Caroline Coon on 5 November 1976 at the band's rehearsal studio in Camden Town. The photo was inspired by real-life events where youths were randomly stopped and searched by police in the street. The original shot featured the phrase "Hate and War" on the back of Strummer's boiler suit, which was airbrushed for the released version and replaced with "1977". Billboard described it as "the most controversial song the Clash ever did". Rise Against, alternative rock band Audioslave, and the Angelic Upstarts.
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