The Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap faced backlash following their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging during their Coachella performance, which featured the slogan “F— Israel, Free Palestine.” They described the criticism as a “coordinated smear campaign,” alleging that their set was censored by festival organizers after the first weekend. The images from their performance spurred outrage on social media, particularly from Tribe of Nova, organizers of the Nova Music Festival, which was targeted by Hamas in a deadly attack on October 7, 2023. The group invited Kneecap to learn about the impact of the violence on their community.
In response, Kneecap defended their stance on X, asserting that their critics aim to silence opposition to what they call a “mass slaughter,” and accused them of using accusations of antisemitism as a distraction from the realities of the conflict. They emphasized their solidarity with Jewish individuals who share concerns over the violence, stating their commitment to speak out against actions enabled by governments.
The criticism escalated with prominent figures like Sharon Osbourne condemning the group for hate speech and advocating for the U.S. to revoke their work visas. Osbourne argued that while artists have the right to express opinions, including political statements in performances crosses a line. In their second weekend at Coachella, Kneecap continued to voice their views, with members discussing parallels between Irish and Palestinian experiences of persecution. The ongoing violence in Gaza has reportedly resulted in more than 50,000 deaths, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, igniting further debate over freedom of expression in music.
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