Kneecap: Sharon Osbourne call for US visas to be revoked after Coachella – BBC
2025-04-22T17:49:10Z
Kneecap performed at a music festival in California where they ended their set with pro-Palestinian messages.
Call for Kneecap’s US visas to be revoked after Coachella
1 day ago Share Save Catherine Doyle and Brendan Hughes BBC News NI Share Save
Getty Images DJ Próvai from Kneecap performing onstage during the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on 11 April in California
Sharon Osbourne has called for a west Belfast rap group’s US work visas to be revoked. Last weekend, Kneecap performed at Coachella, an annual music festival in California, where they ended their set with pro-Palestinian messages. Writing on social media, the TV personality and America’s Got Talent judge said the hip-hop trio “took their performance to a different level by incorporating aggressive political statements”. Kneecap and the festival’s organisers have been approached for comment.
The band are set to play a number of shows in the US and Canada in coming months. A US State Department spokesperson said: “Due to privacy and other considerations, and visa confidentiality, we generally will not comment on department actions with respect to specific cases.” Warning: This article features language that some readers may find offensive
Getty Images Kneecap member Mo Chara wore a keffiyeh scarf – a symbol of Palestinian identity – during the band’s performance on 18 April
Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and taking 251 back to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched a massive military offensive in response, which has killed 51,240 Palestinians – mainly civilians – according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry figures on Monday. Israel and the Palestinians: History of the conflict explained
Why are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza? Kneecap have been vocal supporters of the Palestinian people, often raising the conflict in their live performances. At the end of their set at the second weekend of Coachella, which was not streamed on the festival’s official YouTube page, Kneecap projected three screens of text. The first message said: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” followed by: “It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes,” and a final screen added: “[Expletive] Israel. Free Palestine.” During the performance, band member Mo Chara said: “The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the… skies with nowhere to go. “The Palestinians have nowhere to go.” The band also led the audience in chants of: “Free, free Palestine”. On 11 April, during Kneecap’s first Coachella performance, the group faced criticism after leading an anti-Margaret Thatcher chant – which was subsequently omitted from the festival’s livestream – along with calls for a united Ireland.
Getty Images Mo Chara (L) and Moglai Bap (R) from Kneecap perform during the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on 11 April in California
On Tuesday, Osbourne claimed on social media the band’s actions included “projections of anti-Israel messages and hate speech”. “This band openly support terrorist organizations,” she added. “I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap’s work visa,” she said. A US State Department spokesperson told BBC News NI that the Trump administration “is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process”. “When considering revocations, the department looks at information that arises after the visa was issued that may indicate a potential visa ineligibility under US immigration laws, pose a threat to public safety, or other situations where revocation is warranted,” they added. “This can include everything from arrests, criminal convictions, and engaging in conduct that is inconsistent with the visa classification, to an overstay.”
Getty Images Sharon Osbourne claimed Kneecap incorporated “aggressive political statements” into their performance at a festival in California
Ms Osbourne was also critical of the organisers of the festival, Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). “Reports indicate that Goldenvoice was unaware of Kneecap’s political intentions when they were booked,” Osbourne said. “However, after witnessing their performance during the first weekend, allowing them to perform again the following weekend suggests support of their rhetoric and a lack of due diligence,” she continued. “This behaviour raises concerns about the appropriateness of their participation in such a festival and further shows they are booked to play in the USA,” Osbourne said. “I know for a fact that certain people in the industry had written to Goldenvoice, airing their concerns around the booking of Kneecap,” she said. The organisers have also been approached for comment.
‘Messaging that deeply hurt’
In response to the performance, the organisers of the Nova Music Festival, Tribe of Nova, said Kneecap shared messaging that “deeply hurt many in our community”. Hundreds of people were killed at that festival and a number of people were abducted during the Hamas attack in 2023. In a statement, they said: “Our festival was a space where people came together -across cultures and beliefs – to celebrate life. That’s why we believe that even in the face of ignorance or provocation, our response must be rooted in empathy, not hate. “We invite the members of Kneecap to visit the Nova Exhibition and experience first-hand the stories of those who were murdered, those who survived, and those who are still being held hostage. “Not to shame or silence – but to connect. To witness. To understand.”
Who are Kneecap?
Getty Images The group go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí
Kneecap are an Irish-speaking rap trio who have courted controversy with their provocative lyrics and merchandise. The group was formed in 2017 by three friends who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí. Their rise to fame inspired a semi-fictionalised film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender. The film won a British Academy of Film Award (Bafta) in February 2025.
‘Openly glorifying terror’ – Badenoch
Meanwhile, a Jewish security charity has called for police to investigate videos appearing to show the group express support for Hezbollah and Hamas. Hezbollah is a political and military group in Lebanon, while Hamas is a Palestinian armed group and political movement in the Gaza Strip. On Monday, a member of Community Security Trust (CST) shared on X a video from a Kneecap gig in London last November. The footage appeared to show a member of the group draped in a Hezbollah flag shouting to the crowd “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. A CST spokeswoman said it was “utterly disgraceful” that Hezbollah and Hamas – both considered terrorist organisations by the UK and other nations – were being “lauded from a London stage” with the crowd “encouraged to show their support”. “We fully expect the police to investigate this thoroughly and take appropriate action.” In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said it had been made aware of the video. “It has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required,” it said.
EPA Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition at Westminster, accused Kneecap of “openly glorifying evil terror groups”
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