Sharon Osbourne calls for Kneecap to lose US work visas after Israel remarks

Olivia Kelleher

Former music manager Sharon Osbourne has called for Belfast rap trio Kneecap to lose their US work visas after their set at Coachella featured projections of text reading "F**k Israel Free Palestine."

The text also read: "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the US Government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes."

Kneecap were not alone in criticising Israel’s war in Gaza during the Coachella music festival in California.

Headliners Green Day changed the lyrics of Jesus of Suburbia to "Runnin’ away from pain, like the kids from Palestine" while British punk duo Bob Vylan displayed a Palestinian flag during their set.

In a post on Instagram, Ms Osbourne said Coachella 2025 will be remembered as a festival which compromised its moral and spiritual integrity.

"Kneecap, an Irish rap group, took their performance to a different level by incorporating aggressive political statements.

"Their actions included projections of anti-Israel messages and hate speech, and this band openly support terrorist organizations.

"This behavior raises concerns about the appropriateness of their participation in such a festival and further shows they are booked to play in the USA.

"Reports indicate that Goldenvoice (the festival organiser) was unaware of Kneecap’s political intentions when they were booked.

"However, after witnessing their performance during the first weekend, allowing them to perform again the following weekend suggests support of their rhetoric and a lack of due diligence.”

Ms Osbourne said the Independent Artists Group, which represents Kneecap, includes individuals of Jewish heritage.

"It is disheartening that they have not used their positions to prevent the promotion of such controversial messages.

"As someone with both Irish Catholic on my mother’s side and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage on my father’s side, and extensive experience in the music industry. I understand the complexities involved. I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap’s work visa."

Meanwhile, Kneecap claimed their pro-Palestine messages were cut from their Coachella set in the first weekend of the festival.

They said on social media that the projections during their second weekend set were supposed to have also been displayed during their weekend one set as well.

"But our messaging on the US backed genocide in Gaza somehow never appeared on screens," the group said.

Reacting on X to a Variety story which had the headline ‘Irish Rap Group Kneecap Projects Aggressive Pro Palestine, Anti Israel Messages During Coachella Sets’ they said : "Honesty isn’t aggressive — f***ing bombs are."