Catherine Doyle
BBC Information NI
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DJ Próvai from Kneecap appearing onstage all the way through the 2025 Coachella Valley Track and Arts Competition on 11 April in California
Sharon Osbourne has known as for a west Belfast rap crew’s US paintings visas to be revoked.
Final weekend, Kneecap carried out at Coachella, an annual tune pageant in California, the place they ended their set with pro-Palestinian messages.
Writing on social media, the TV character and The us’s Were given Ability pass judgement on mentioned the hip-hop trio had “took their efficiency to another degree by way of incorporating competitive political statements”.
Kneecap and the pageant’s organisers had been approached for remark.
The band are set to play plenty of presentations in america and Canada in coming months.
A US State Division spokesperson mentioned: “Because of privateness and different issues, and visa confidentiality, we in most cases is not going to touch upon Division movements with appreciate to precise instances.”
Caution: This text options language that some readers would possibly to find offensive
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Kneecap member Mo Chara wore a keffiyeh shawl – an emblem of Palestinian identification – all the way through the band’s efficiency on 18 April
Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 folks – most commonly civilians – and taking 251 again to Gaza as hostages.
Israel introduced a large army offensive in reaction, which has killed 51,240 Palestinians – principally civilians – in keeping with Gaza’s Hamas-run well being ministry figures on Monday.
Kneecap had been vocal supporters of the Palestinian folks, continuously elevating the battle of their are living performances.
On the finish in their set at the second one weekend of Coachella, which used to be now not streamed at the pageant’s legit YouTube web page, Kneecap projected 3 monitors of textual content.
The primary message mentioned: “Israel is committing genocide towards the Palestinian folks,” adopted by way of: “It’s being enabled by way of america executive who arm and fund Israel in spite of their struggle crimes,” and a last display screen added: “[Expletive] Israel. Unfastened Palestine.”
Right through the efficiency, band member Mo Chara mentioned: “The Irish now not see you later in the past had been persecuted by the hands of the Brits, however we had been by no means bombed from the… skies with nowhere to move.
“The Palestinians have nowhere to move.”
The band additionally led the target audience in chants of: “Unfastened, unfastened Palestine”.
On 11 April, all the way through Kneecap’s first Coachella efficiency, the gang confronted grievance after main an anti-Margaret Thatcher chant – which used to be therefore ignored from the pageant’s livestream – at the side of requires a united Eire.
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Mo Chara (L) and Moglai Bap (R) from Kneecap carry out all the way through the 2025 Coachella Valley Track and Arts Competition on 11 April in California
On Tuesday, Osbourne claimed on social media the band’s movements incorporated “projections of anti-Israel messages and hate speech”.
“This band brazenly give a boost to terrorist organizations,” she added.
“I encourage you to enroll in me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap’s paintings visa,” she mentioned.
A US State Division spokesperson instructed BBC Information NI that the Trump management “is interested in protective our country and our electorate by way of upholding the absolute best requirements of nationwide safety and public protection thru our visa procedure”.
“When bearing in mind revocations, the Division appears to be like at knowledge that arises after the visa used to be issued that can point out a possible visa ineligibility beneath U.S. immigration rules, pose a risk to public protection, or different scenarios the place revocation is warranted,” they added.
“This may come with the entirety from arrests, legal convictions, and attractive in behavior this is inconsistent with the visa classification, to an overstay.”
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Sharon Osbourne claimed Kneecap included “competitive political statements” into their efficiency at a pageant in California
Ms Osbourne used to be additionally important of the organisers of the pageant, Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of Anschutz Leisure Crew (AEG).
“Experiences point out that Goldenvoice used to be blind to Kneecap’s political intentions once they had been booked,” Osbourne mentioned.
“Then again, after witnessing their efficiency all the way through the primary weekend, permitting them to carry out once more the next weekend suggests give a boost to in their rhetoric and a loss of due diligence,” she endured.
“This behaviour raises considerations concerning the appropriateness in their participation in this type of pageant and extra presentations they’re booked to play in the United States,” Osbourne mentioned.
“I do know for a proven fact that positive folks within the business had written to Goldenvoice, airing their considerations across the reserving of Kneecap,” she mentioned.
The organisers have additionally been approached for remark.
Who’re Kneecap?
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The gang pass by way of the level names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí
Kneecap are an Irish-speaking rap trio who’ve courted controversy with their provocative lyrics and products.
The gang used to be shaped in 2017 by way of 3 buddies who pass by way of the level names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí.
In November 2024 the rap crew received its discrimination case towards the United Kingdom executive over a choice by way of Kemi Badenoch to withdraw an arts grant when she used to be serving as a cupboard minister.
Their upward thrust to status impressed a semi-fictionalised movie starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender.
The movie received a British Academy of Movie Award (Bafta) in February 2025.
‘To know’
According to the efficiency, the organisers of the Nova Track Competition, Tribe of Nova, mentioned Kneecap had “deeply harm many in our neighborhood”.
Loads of folks had been killed on the pageant and plenty of folks had been kidnapped all the way through the Hamas assault on 7 October 2023.
In a observation, they mentioned: “We invite the individuals of Kneecap to seek advice from the Nova Exhibition and enjoy first-hand the tales of those that had been murdered, those that survived, and those that are nonetheless being held hostage.
“To not disgrace or silence—however to attach. To witness. To know.”
