Kneecap have been slammed after displaying a series of anti-Israel messages during their latest Coachella set.
The Belfast rap group – which consists of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí – are known for songs that promote Irish republican themes including Get Your Brits Out.
They have also been vocal supporters of Palestine, regularly performing with Palestinian flags on stage and leading ‘Free, Free Palestine’ chants.
However, their latest show of support has drawn intense criticism from many.
After leading an anti-Margaret Thatcher chant during their slot last weekend, Kneecap returned to the festival and performed on the Sonora tent over the weekend.
During the performance they displayed projections on a screen behind them, which were also apparently used during their slot last week and led to the livestream of their set being cut off.
‘Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,’ the projections read.
‘It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F*** Israel; free Palestine.’
Images were later shared on social media by the group, who wrote: ‘Some uncensored messaging to Coachella.’
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However soon after the rap group were called out by many.
‘Why are you providing a platform to incite hatred and spread false information that encourages hatred against an entire population? Is this a music festival or a racism festival?’ user talester commented on Instagram.
‘How did the production of this place allow political opinions to be brought onto the stage in such a blatant and false way?! Without a doubt, the world has gone crazy, and humanity has disappeared,’ Chen shared.
‘You should not allow bands that incite hatred and isolate one group of people. Blatant antisemitism. Do better,’ Sam added.
Meanwhile many others flooded their recent posts with images of the flag of Israel.
During their set, Mo Chara delivered a brief speech, telling the crowd: ‘The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the f***ing skies with nowhere to go.
‘The Palestinians have nowhere to go, it’s their f***ing home and they’re bombing them from the skies.
‘If you’re not calling it a genocide what the f*** are you calling it?’
The band then led a ‘Free, Free Palestine’ chant.
After last weekend’s set, the band wrote on X: ‘Not the only thing that was cut – our messaging on the US-backed genocide in Gaza somehow never appeared on screens either. Back next Friday Coachella and it’ll be sorted. Grma to everyone who packed out the tent.’
Kneecap have previously helped raise nearly £100,000 for a volunteer gym in the Aida Refugee Camp in Palestine.
They also recently hit out at Israel for breaking the Gaza ceasefire in a ‘slaughter’ against the ‘most vulnerable people on earth’.
After forming in 2017, Kneecap broke through the following year with their debut single C.E.A.R.T.A, which is Irish for ‘rights’.
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