Pro-Israel groups are condemning a Saturday performance by Irish hip-hop group Kneecap at the Coachella music festival, where they accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
During their set in the Sonora tent, the band displayed the phrase “F— Israel. Free Palestine” on a screen and led the audience in chanting “Free Palestine.”
Band member Mo Chara addressed the crowd, stating, “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?”
Kneecap is known for expressing political views on topics such as Irish republicanism, UK government policies, censorship, and the Palestinian cause.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Los Angeles-based Jewish human rights organization, criticized the band’s performance. In a statement to KTLA 5 News, CEO Jim Berk called it “incendiary and anti-Israel hate.” He stated, “At its best, music should bring people together and spread empathy, not hate,” adding that it was troubling Kneecap used a music festival to spread hate, especially considering the brutal attack by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Music Festival in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Berk extended an invitation to Kneecap and Coachella organizers to engage in a discussion about the Israel-Palestinian conflict. “We believe music and music-makers should be part of the solution and not the problem,” he said.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Goldenvoice CEO, the promoter behind Coachella, was reportedly “blindsided” by Kneecap’s actions. KTLA reached out to AEG, the parent company of Goldenvoice, for comment.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking hostages. In retaliation, Israel launched extensive airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, resulting in thousands of deaths and significant destruction.
Kneecap’s performance was not the only political moment at Coachella. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day altered the lyrics to the band’s song “American Idiot” to express opposition to the MAGA agenda. He also changed the lyrics of “Jesus of Suburbia” to “running away from pain like the kids from Palestine.”
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