During Coachella 2025, Irish rap trio Kneecap drew attention by leading chants for Palestine and making provocative statements against Israel. Their performance in week two featured strong messages displayed on stage, and they bypassed the official livestream by streaming their protest live on Twitch. The CEO of festival organizer Goldenvoice, Paul Tollett, was reportedly caught off guard by their actions. In response, pro-Israel advocates condemned the messaging, arguing that such events should foster unity rather than division, especially amidst rising antisemitism.
“Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” another message read on their stage screens. “It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.”
“If you’re not calling it a genocide what the fuck are you calling it?” he added, before leading a ‘Free, free Palestine’ chant.
Mo Chara also paused Kneecap's performance for a brief speech. 'The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the fucking skies with nowhere to go...'
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.
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