Photo Credit: Kneecap.ie
Coachella organizers Goldenvoice and AEG are facing backlash from Jewish groups for the Irish rap group Kneecap’s performance during both weekends. The performances came with anti-Israeli messaging and criticized the U.S. support of Israel.
Kneecap’s first weekend performance was cut from the Coachella livestream. Coachella organizers appeared to respond by not broadcasting any acts from the Sonora tent during the second weekend on the livestream. Kneecap claimed they were being censored and promised to return with an ‘uncensored’ message—sharing images of their set on social media.
The set contained several messages displayed in bold lettering on stage including ‘Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people’ and ‘It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes,’ followed by a bold ‘Fuck Israel, Free Palestine’ statement.
Kneecap’s explicit anti-Israel stance during their set at Coachella has led to significant backlash from Jewish organizations. The Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) was among the first to warn Coachella organizers about Kneecap’s record of supporting groups like Hezbollah, which the United States has designated a terrorist group. The CCFP says platforming artists who “promote or sympathize with terrorism undermines the core values of art, music, and unity that Coachella claims to stand for.”
CCFP has demanded a public apology from Goldenvoice and AEG for platforming the group. “Festivals such as Coachella are meant to bring people together to celebrate music and life, instead they allowed the festival to devolve into a forum of hate—platforming a band that praised a terrorist group that carried out the largest massacre in music history,” CCFP Executive Director Ari Ingel stated. “At a time of record levels of antisemitism, it is outrageous that AEG and Goldenvoice allowed this to happen.”
The Tribe of Nova Foundation also condemned Kneecap’s statements and lamented Coachella becoming a platform for the glorification of terror. The group represents survivors and families of the Nova Music Festival massacre attacked by terrorists on October 7, 2023.
“We invite the members of Kneecap 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. Not to shame or silence—but to connect. To witness. To understand. Healing begins with listening. And we believe that even those who have spoken from a place of anger or misinformation are capable of empathy—if they are willing to see.”
Scooter Braun also spoke out about the incident on Instagram, directly addressing Coachella founder Paul Tollett.
“When I invited Paul to the opening of the Nova music exhibit in Los Angeles, he was the first person from the industry to accept,” Braun said. Braun continues stating he appreciates Tollett’s engagement with the Jewish community, but said the decision to host Kneecap both weekends was ‘blindsiding’ and ‘insensitive.’
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