They ended their set at the recent festival with pro-Palestinian messages, sparking calls for their US visas to be revoked.
Police in the UK are now investigating the group after a clip from a November 2023 gig appeared to show one member saying “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP”. Another video emerged from a gig last November that appeared to show a band member saying “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.
There have also been calls for the band to be dropped from Glastonbury.
Kneecap released a lengthy statement this week in which they said they didn’t support Hamas and Hezbollah, and they also apologised to the families of two British MPs who were killed.
Here, we take a look at some of the controversies that have been brought up in recent days.
Kneecap perform at Coachella in California earlier this month. Photo: Getty
‘Kill your local MP’ – Electric Ballroom, London 2023
In footage shared from November 2023, the group tells the audience “the only good Tory is a dead Tory” while performing at a gig at Electric Ballroom in London. The footage is currently being assessed by counter-terrorism police in the UK.
In the video, a member of the band – who are set to play at Glastonbury in June – said: “We’re still under British occupation in Ireland. We still have old men in London making decisions that affect my life in Ireland.
“And even worse, they’re f***ing Tories. The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
In a statement issued by the band on X, Kneecap – Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh – denied they were calling for attendees to commit violence against UK political representatives.
“We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever. An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action,” they said.
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They also apologised to families of Labour MP Jo Cox and Conservative MP David Amess, who was both murdered in separate incidents.
“To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt,” Kneecap said in the 500-word statement.
Brendan Cox, Ms Cox’s husband, called it a “half apology”.
The daughter of David Amess accused Kneecap of “gaslighting” in the rap group’s apology.
Hamas and Hezbollah comments, Kentish Town Forum, 2024
Footage has also emerged from a concert in November which seemed to show a band member shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a performance at the Kentish Town Forum, and a Hezbollah flag being displayed. This has also been referred to the counter terrorism internet referral unit in the UK.
Both Hamas and Hezbollah are banned in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them.
Kneecap also addressed this in their statement.
They said: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history.”
Following the emergence of the footage, Taoiseach Mícheál Martin said: “We need clarity. This is what has been asserted, albeit at one or two public events.”
He said artists had always been facilitated in criticising policies but that any support of Hezbollah would be “unacceptable”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin called for Kneecap to ‘clarify’ their position on Hamas and Hezbollah. Photo: Collins
Mr Martin said Hezbollah was responsible for the killing of Irish peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney in Lebanon and Hamas was responsible for the “appalling killing of innocent people on October 7”.
The Taoiseach added: “But it’s not clear to me that Kneecap does support Hezbollah and Hamas. It’s been asserted that they have made commentary in support of both. I think they need to urgently clarify that.
“We have had some horrific events in terms of the killing of MPs in Britain, so there’s a huge responsibility on everybody to be very focused in terms of the protection of public representatives and the safety of public representatives, irrespective of what the reviews we have.”
Mr Martin’s comments came prior to the statement issued by Kneecap this week.
Coachella, California, 2025
Kneecap on stage, with the message in the background
The group also accused Israel of committing genocide and war crimes against Palestinians using on-screen messages when they ended their set at the second weekend of Coachella in California earlier this month.
The messages 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**k Israel. Free Palestine”.
This drew criticism from former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, who called for their US work visas to be revoked.
The Creative Community for Peace, a group that works to counter anti-Israel sentiment in the entertainment industry, also heavily criticised the performance.
In their statement, Kneecap said: “Suddenly, days after calling out the US administration at Coachella to applause and solidarity, there is an avalanche of outrage and condemnation by the political classes of Britain.”
The band have also previously claimed they are facing a “coordinated smear campaign” after speaking out about “the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people”.
They have also been condemned in a statement from UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson, and by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
Mr Starmer’s spokesman said on Monday that the prime minister believes the comments from the band member were “completely unacceptable” and “condemns them in the strongest possible terms”.
“We completely reject in the strongest possible terms the comments that they’ve made, particularly in relation to MPs and intimidation as well as obviously the situation in the Middle East.”
Ms Badenoch has said Kneecap’s “anti-British hatred has no place in our society” and called for them to face action.
In an interview on RTÉ Radio, Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert said the band had received death threats, and that the nature of the threats would be “too severe” to outline on air.
Mr Lambert said that suggesting the rappers’ message at Coachella was offensive would be “buying into moral hysteria” and said the real issue was the tens of thousands of people being killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Speaking on RTÉ Prime Time last night, Lambert added: “What they said at Coachella was the right thing to say. It’s something that we’ve said at Leeds, Reading, at Glastonbury.
“We’ve said it in Dublin and Belfast, and what it is is a message aimed at governments who are enabling the genocide in Gaza.
“And what really, really scared the state of Israel, and what led to this campaign is the reaction of young people in America, young people who aren’t willing to support a genocide and young people who have empathy and sympathy towards the Palestinian people.”
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