Cliff Notes – Kneecap hailed ‘inspirations’ for taking action against pro-Palestine Coachella backlash
- Kneecap has received both praise and backlash following their pro-Palestine display at Coachella, with high-profile figures like Sharon Osbourne calling for their work visas to be revoked.
- The group has issued a statement claiming they are victims of a ‘coordinated smear campaign’ and have vowed to take action against their critics, asserting their right to speak out on political issues.
- Supporters, including Macklemore, have rallied behind Kneecap, highlighting the importance of their message and the impact it has had on young audiences at their performances.
Kneecap hailed ‘inspirations’ for taking action against pro-Palestine Coachella backlash
Kneecap has revealed an official statement after projecting pro-Palestine messages at Coachella (Picture: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)
Kneecap has been praised by the likes of Macklemore after hitting back against critics of their pro-Palestine Coachella display.
The Belfast rap group, comprised of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí, faced backlash from high profile figures like Sharon Osbourne who called for their work visas to be revoked after their performance at Coachella.
Known for Irish republican songs like Get Your Brits Out and their pro-Palestine stance, the music group appeared on stage during the second weekend of the Californian music festival, broadcasting three messages.
The projection read: ‘Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people’, ‘It is being enabled by the US government, who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes,’ and ‘F*** Israel. Free Palestine.’
Crowds of people then joined them to chant ‘Free, free Palestine’. The ensuing backlash led to several death threats sent to the group, as revealed by Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert.
Afterwards, Mo told Rolling Stone that they have been advocating for Palestine at every single gig long before October 23, believing they have an ‘obligation to speak out at Coachella as the USA is the main funder and supplier of weapons to Israel’.
Now, in a new post to Instagram, the band has doubled down on the display in an official statement claiming they are the targets of a ‘coordinated smear campaign’.
The statement continued: ‘For over a year we have used our shows to call out the British and Irish governments’ complicity in war crimes.
‘The recent attacks against us, largely emanating from the US, are based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods. We are taking action against several of these malicious efforts.’
The display received criticism from figures like Sharon Osbourne (Picture: @realtombibiyan/x)
They have accused their attackers as ‘silencing criticism of a mass slaughter’ given their growing audience and said they ‘weaponise false accusations of anitsemitism to distract, confuse and provide cover for genocide.’
The group added: ‘We do not give a f**k what religion anyone practices. We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are.’
They concluded by praising the young people at their gigs who ‘see through these lies. ‘They give us great hope,’ the statement ended.
Kneecap has called it a ‘coordinated smear campaign’ and plans to take action against critics (Picture: BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Instagram post also included a clip of the manager discussing the issue on the radio.
Friends and fans have flocked to the comments to praise Kneecap’s steadfast stance.
‘That’s it,’ artist and pro-Palestine advocate Macklemore wrote in the comments with a heart and clapping emoji.
Garbage also shared a heart emoji.
‘What you guys are doing is so important and will be remembered. Keep going,’ veganem wrote.
‘American Jew here to say KEEP GOING, you’re an inspiration to us,’ singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton shared.
Internet personality Matthew MacNabb added: ‘To be Irish is to defend the vulnerable! Doing us Northerners proud lads.’
They have received praise from fans and friends across the board for their response (Picture: Getty)
In an interview with RTE radio, Daniel said: ‘If somebody is hurt by the truth, that’s something for them to be hurt by. But it’s really important to speak truth, and thankfully, the lads are not afraid to do that.
‘The beautiful reaction has been the hundreds of young Americans who came up to us at Coachella, to the lads, to say that they had said something that wasn’t being said in America and that these kids believed in.
‘That was said to us by young girls, young boys, people in their 20s, 30s, and so, so many people came up to say thank you for saying what is right, what is just, and something that sadly isn’t said enough.’
Meanwhile, the counter-terrorism police are investigating a Kneecap performance in London after a video appeared to show one of the group shouting ‘up Hamas, up Hezbollah’, two groups it is a crime to express support for.
A Met Police spokesperson told PA news agency: ‘We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.’