Kneecap Rebuffs Sharon Osbourne’s Criticism of Anti-Israel Coachella Performance: ‘Statements Aren’t Aggressive’

Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap rebuffed Sharon Osbourne’s criticism of the group’s anti-Israel Coachella performance this past weekend, showing the band is unconcerned with blowback for their controversial set.

When asked on Wednesday by BBC News Northern Ireland for a response to the ongoing backlash to their Coachella set, Kneecap replied, “Statements aren’t aggressive, murdering 20,000 children is though.” Kneecap manager Daniel Lambert also told Irish radio broadcaster RTÉ, “If somebody is hurt by the truth, that’s something for them to be hurt by, but it’s really important to speak truth. Thankfully the lads are not afraid to do that.”

Lambert added that the trio has received death threats that are “too severe to get into” in the days since their Coachella performance. During their set at the popular California music festival, Kneecap projected messages on stage that read, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” “It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes” and “F—k Israel. Free Palestine.”

During the trio’s set, rapper Mo Chara told the Coachella crowd, “The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the f—king skies with nowhere to go. The Palestinians have nowhere to go.” Chara led the crowd in “Free Palestine” chants.

In the wake of the group’s performance and public display of anti-Israel messaging, Kneecap has come under harsh criticism from multiple groups and individuals, including Jewish organization the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Osbourne. “Coachella 2025 will be remembered as a festival that compromised its moral and spiritual integrity,” the latter wrote on Instagram. “Kneecap, an Irish rap group, took their performance to a different level by incorporating aggressive political statements.”

“As someone with both Irish Catholic on my Mothers side and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage on my Fathers side, and extensive experience in the music industry, I understand the complexities involved,” the wife of Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne concluded. “I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneeecap’s work visa.”

A film about the Irish musical group was released last year and met with critical acclaim. TheWrap reported Wednesday that Coachella organizers were warned in advance of Kneecap’s set by multiple people that the hip-hop group would likely use the music festival as a platform to take a strong public stance against Israel. The festival nonetheless moved forward with the performance.

The post Kneecap Rebuffs Sharon Osbourne’s Criticism of Anti-Israel Coachella Performance: ‘Statements Aren’t Aggressive’ appeared first on TheWrap.