Rage Against The Machine has once again found itself in the middle of controversy as the United States� largest police organization moved to protest the band�s scheduled appearance on NBC�s Late Night With Conan O�Brien last night (November 11). The organization has threatened to boycott the network over the taping.

The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is incensed by the outspoken band�s support for Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of the 1982 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner and subsequently sentenced to death. "We will be flooding NBC with calls and e-mails expressing our vehement opposition to their decision," said Gilbert G. Gallegos, National President of the FOP, in a prepared statement. "This is hurtful to police officers and their families. It further legitimizes the celebrity status of a vile murderer and NBC should know that."

� Rage played an even more high-profile gig in the streets on New York City last week for The Late Show With David Letterman, but the FOP targeted the Late Night With Conan O�Brien appearance in part because it coincided with Veteran�s Day, even if, technically, the show airs in the wee hours of the day after the holiday. Gallegos said, "We should not have to sit idly by and watch this band repeat Abu-Jamal�s ridiculous lies, nor allow a murderer to be celebrated without so much as a word of protest -- especially on a day our nation has set aside to honor its veterans."

Regardless, Rage remained on the show�s schedule. A spokesperson for the popular variety show said in a statement: "Late Night books guests for their talent and popularity, not for their political beliefs. We don�t blacklist certain guests solely because of their views."

� Rage Against The Machine has often drawn attention to the Abu-Jamal case, including headlining a benefit concert on his behalf at the beginning of this year. Upon hearing that an execution date had been scheduled (he has since been granted a stay), Rage bassist Y.tim.K told us, "Well, maybe somebody will start building some bombs then. That�s what needs to go down. If they want to start murdering people for being political and being motivational and being, you know, righteous, then maybe some people need to start building bombs. That�s where I�m at. Like, if they want to kill that guy, I think... the shit�s going to hit the fan. I hope it does. I hope that we, before that happens, can step in and make some noise."

FOP president Gallegos further stated: "This is a mediocre band at best, whose real talent is not music, but radical politics. I guess when you lack musical talent, but are good at marketing and anti-everything image, you can still sell records and get on television." Rage�s latest album, The Battle Of Los Angeles, debuted at Number One this week with sales of more than 430,500, according to SoundScan.