Kneecap have released a new statement following their performance at Coachella 2025, which has generated controversy over the past week.
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The trio made headlines on Coachella’s weekend one, after the live stream of their set was cut when they voiced their support for a free Palestine, and also led the crowd in a provocative anti-Margaret Thatcher chant. “Not only was that cut,” they later said, referring to the Thatcher refrain, “our messaging on the US-backed genocide in Gaza somehow never appeared on screens either.”
At the second weekend, the band provided their own livestream, with political commentator Hasan Piker broadcasting their set live on Twitch. Slogans including “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine”, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people” and “it is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes” were projected on the screen behind them as they played.
Following the performance, Coachella organisers reportedly said they were “blindsided” by the band’s pro-Palestinian messages and chants at the festival. Shortly after that, Sharon Osbourne called for a “revocation” of their work visa, claiming their performance “compromised” the festival’s “moral and spiritual integrity”. The band responded in disbelief, calling Osbourne’s statement “fucking wild”.
Now, the group have shared a statement addressing their performance. In an X/Twitter post shared today (April 25), the trio attached the statement with a clip of their manager clarifying their views on RTE Radio 1.
Kneecap called the controversy “a coordinated smear campaign” against their efforts in “exposing the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people”.
KNEECAP STATEMENT:
Since our statements at Coachella — exposing the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people — we have faced a coordinated smear campaign.
For over a year, we have used our shows to call out the British and Irish governments’ complicity in war crimes.… pic.twitter.com/mBojb5QBOP
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) April 25, 2025
“For over a year, we have used our shows to call out the British and Irish governments’ complicity in war crimes,” they continued. “The recent attacks against us, largely emanating from the US, are based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods,” they said, adding that they are “taking action against several of these malicious efforts”.
“The reason Kneecap is being targeted is simple — we are telling the truth, and our audience is growing,” the statement read.
“Those attacking us want to silence criticism of a mass slaughter. They weaponize false accusations of antisemitism to distract, confuse, and provide cover for genocide,” bringing up “massive numbers of Jewish people” who are “outraged by this genocide just as we are”.
“What we care about is that governments of the countries we perform in are enabling some of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes — and we will not stay silent. No media spin will change this,” they wrote.
“Our only concern is the Palestinian people — the 20,000 murdered children and counting.”
They praised the audiences at their shows, saying that they “see through the lies” and “stand on the side of humanity and justice.”
“And that gives us hope,” they concluded.
Earlier this week, the group shared messages of support sent by fans following the festival. Among them is one from a retired British Royal Navy officer, which reads: “I love your music. Free Palestine. Fuck the haters”, while another says: “As a Palestinian in exile I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving us a voice on the world stage.”
Kneecap’s long-standing support of Palestine has included recent social media posts and high-profile TV appearances. In their Cover feature for NME last year, they made their stance against what they call Israel’s “occupation and genocide” of Gaza clear, and went on to help raise nearly £100,000 for a volunteer gym in the Aida Refugee Camp in Palestine.
More recently, they hit out at Israel for breaking the Gaza ceasefire in a “slaughter” against the “most vulnerable people on earth”. It followed the ‘Better Way To Live’ artists slamming the Prime Minister of Ireland, calling Micheál Martin a “lick-arse” and “scumbag” after his recent visit to the White House to meet US President Donald Trump.
Back in January, when their film was left out of the Oscar nominations in January despite having been longlisted, the band responded by tweeting: “Fuck the Oscars. Free Palestine.”
Their response was in line with their reaction to the news of a ceasefire in Gaza on January 16, where they posted “we must not forget what Israel has done”.
They also posted recently in response to articles written about their “aggressive” Coachella set saying “honesty isn’t aggressive, fucking bombs are.”
Last year, the band shared their ’10 rules to live by’, which included: “Be outspoken, leave your mark and stand up for your people. Stand up for Palestine, and stand up for oppressed people around the world.”
In keeping with this rule, in November, Bap raised over £30,000 for Gaza food parcels by running 10k a day on tour, the trio made headlines for refusing to take off their Palestine badges in an appearance on Ireland’s Late Late Show, and arranged a Gig for Gaza charity show alongside Primal Scream and Paul Weller.
Also in 2024, the band joined Massive Attack, Nova Twins and more in condemning the far-right riots across the UK following the Southport mass stabbings, and used their massive set at Reading Festival 2024 to denounce anti-immigration riots and “that far-right shite”.
