Kneecap hit back at Coachella complaints: “Our concern is for the well-being of Palestinian kids”

Irish rap trio Kneecap have hit back after their pro-Palestine messaging at Coachella sparked international controversy. 

Now, the band have hit back at complaints and re-instated their firm stance: “Our message is about ending the genocide and ending the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine,” band member Mo Chara wrote clearly in an e-mail to Rolling Stone.

This comes after the trio shared a series of pro-Palestinian messages during their recent Coachella performance. The Californian festival previously censored their first set and cut short the live broadcast.

The first of the posted backdrops reads: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” The second reads: “It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.” The third read, “Fuck Israel / Free Palestine.”

The set ended with thousands partaking in a “Free Palestine” chant.

The backlash to Kneecap’s pro-Palestine message at Coachella

Sharon Osbourne took to X to condemn the band along with Goldenvoice, who organise Coachella, writing, “Coachella 2025 will be remembered as a festival that compromised its moral and spiritual integrity. Goldenvoice, the festival organizer, facilitated this by allowing artists to use the Coachella stage as a platform for political expression.”

Osbourne continued: “At a time when the world is experiencing significant unrest, music should serve as an escape, not a stage for political discourse. While festivals like Coachella showcase remarkable talent from around the globe, music’s primary purpose is to unite people. It should not be a venue for promoting terrorist organizations or spreading hate.”

She finished with a plea: “I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap’s work visa.”

Osbourne isn’t alone in her concern. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch claimed that the group were “openly glorifying evil terror groups” in a video of Kneecap’s November 2024 concert at O2 Kentish Town Forum, London, which had resurfaced online. In the clip, they appear to support Hamas, the group’s Mo Chara can be heard seemingly shouting, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.”

Kneecap’s response to the criticism

Though the band are newly dealing with unprecedented outrage at their tactics, they have used their platform for political messaging for years. In his e-mailed response to Rolling Stone, Chara highlighted that they have spoken about Palestine “at every single gig since the band’s formation, long before October 2023 as the oppression and brutal occupation of Palestine has been ongoing for 77 years.”

The musicians also stress an unwavering commitment to their solidarity. “We believe we have an obligation to use our platform when we can to raise the issue of Palestine, and it was important for us to speak out at Coachela as the USA is the main funder and supplier of weapons to Israel as they commit genocide in Gaza,” he added.

Chara reiterated a message he yelled on stage, “As I said from the stage, ‘the U.S. government could stop the genocide tomorrow.’ It’s important that young Americans hear and know it.”

In response to their Coachella set being censored, Chara details a realistic ambivalence. “We only heard about it the next day and haven’t heard from anyone officially. It’s not surprising,” he wrote, “large companies don’t like to hear the truth unless it suits their narrative and pocket.”

Asked explicitly about Osbourne’s comments, Chara responded, “Her rant has so many holes in it that it hardly warrants a reply but she should listen to ‘War Pigs’ that was written by Black Sabbath (her husband).”

Kneecap’s manager defends band amid controversy

Kneecap’s manager, Daniel Lambert, also echoed Chara’s comments, stating, “Why should we care about what Sharon Osbourne thinks? I certainly don’t. Our concern is for the well-being of Palestinian kids.”

Lambert was interviewed on the most-listened-to radio station in Ireland, RTÉ Radio 1. He quickly highlighted the “beautiful reaction” Kneecap received after their Coachella set, stating, “hundreds of young Americans came up to the lads to say that they had said something that wasn’t being said in America, and something that these kids believed in.” These fans reportedly told them, “Thank you for saying what is right and what is just.”

When Lambert was asked if he could understand the offence taken to Kneecap’s stance, he painted the backlash as people “buying into moral hysteria.” Lambert insisted that “they were factual images,” and “if somebody is hurt by the truth, that’s something for them to be hurt by.”

Lambert also disclosed that Kneecap has received countless threats, including death threats, the type “which would be too severe to tell you on the radio at this time of day.” He commended the trio, “three working-class people” who have built a career resting on identity and have “the bravery and conviction in post-conflict society to stand up for what’s right.”

Kneecap are adamant that their resistance and public support will continue. The current polarised reaction evidently fails as a means of desistance. “We want people to take whatever action they can to stop the genocide,” they conclude. “People can take what they want from our music, stopping the genocide is more important.”