Controversial rap group cancels sold-out Bay Area shows after terrorism charge

"Controversial Irish hip-hop group Kneecap announced Monday morning that it is canceling its entire U.S. tour, including stops in San Francisco and Oakland. The trio was slated to perform on Oct. 27 at the Independent and Oct. 28 at the Fox Theater, but they have bowed out due to a pending terror charge in U.K. courts. The group, whose origins were chronicled in the semi-biographical 2024 film "Kneecap," rap in a mixture of English and Irish languages."

"At Coachella, the band led a chant of "Maggie's in a box," referencing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, that led the stream of their concert to be temporarily paused. Band members have also been outspoken supporters of Palestinians, and they said that Coachella also censored their Palestine-themed visuals. Most recently, they were banned from entering the country of Hungary to perform at the Sziget Festival in Budapest, on accusations of antisemitic hate speech and support of terrorist groups."

"In a statement, the band said the U.S. leg of the tour was canceled because of its proximity to a court date in the U.K. for terrorism charges. One of the members is accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig in London. The band referred to the case as a "witch-hunt" and promised to embark on an even bigger tour once the legal situation has subsided."

Kneecap canceled its entire U.S. tour, including planned shows in San Francisco and Oakland, citing proximity to a U.K. court date on terrorism charges. The trio raps in English and Irish and gained attention for combative lyrics with drug references and cursing, which led to their first single being banned from an Irish radio station in 2017. The group expresses Irish republican views and hostility toward police and the legacy of British rule in Northern Ireland. Performances have provoked controversy, including a paused Coachella stream after a chant, accusations of censorship of Palestine visuals, and a ban from Hungary amid allegations of antisemitic speech and support for terrorist groups.

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