Irish band Kneecap says it faces 'false accusations of antisemitism’ over pro-Palestinian demonstration
The Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap on Friday called criticism of their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging at Coachella a “coordinated smear campaign.”
The Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap responded on Friday to criticism over their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging during their Coachella set earlier this month, calling the backlash a “coordinated smear campaign.”
The group, which has been vocal about its view of the conflict in Gaza, performed their set during the festival in front of a screen featuring the words “F--- Israel, Free Palestine.”
The group claimed in a post on X after the festival’s first weekend that organizers subsequently censored the livestream of their performance. While it was not broadcast online, images of the onstage message circulated across social media, prompting outrage online.
Tribe of Nova, the organizers behind Israel’s Nova Music Festival where Hamas launched a deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that left 1,200 people dead, said Kneecap’s messaging “deeply hurt many in our community.” The organization invited band members to “visit the Nova Exhibition and experience firsthand the stories of those who were murdered, those who survived, and those who are still being held hostage.”
Kneecap said in an X post Friday: “Those attacking us want to silence criticism of a mass slaughter. They weaponize false accusations of antisemitism to distract, confuse, and provide cover for genocide.”
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