Irish hip-hop group Kneecap sparked controversy at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival after projecting anti-Israel messages during their performance before a crowd of thousands.
The trio, known for its politically charged performances, displayed slogans on stage Friday including “F**k Israel, Free Palestine” and “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” A follow-up caption read: “Enabled by the U.S. government, which arms and funds Israel despite their war crimes.”
Addressing the audience, lead vocalist Mo Chara drew a comparison between Irish and Palestinian experiences, saying: “Not long ago, the Irish were persecuted by the British, but we were never bombed from the f-ing sky with nowhere to go. Palestinians have nowhere to go. This is their f-ing home, and they're being bombed from the sky.”
Kneecap, a Belfast-based trio, has gained recognition for its support of the Irish republican movement and Palestinian rights. The group began displaying Palestinian flags during performances in 2020 and has publicly pledged to boycott Israel.
Friday’s show marked the band’s debut at Coachella, where they introduced the anti-Israel visuals during their set and led the audience in chants. Following the performance, the band claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the slogans were censored from the official livestream. They added that the issue would be addressed for their next appearance at the festival.
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In addition to their criticism of Israel, Kneecap also led chants against former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during both of their festival appearances, declaring, “Free Palestine and the Six Counties!” — a slogan calling for the unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland.