Coachella has found itself at the center of controversy following a protest by the Irish rap group Kneecap during their performance at the festival’s second weekend. The trio, known for their pro-Palestinian stance, made waves when they displayed anti-Israel messages on stage screens, including the slogan “Fuck Israel, free Palestine,” which sparked backlash from Jewish organizations.

According to Consequence Sound, on Friday, April 18, Kneecap’s performance included chants like “Free Palestine” and a statement condemning Israel, leading to strong criticism of the festival’s organizer, Goldenvoice. The messages were not part of the official livestream, as sets at the Sonora tent were not broadcast in weekend two. 

However, Kneecap circumvented this by inviting popular streamer Hasan Piker to broadcast the protest via Twitch. One of the messages on the stage read, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” accusing the U.S. government of enabling Israeli actions through arms sales and funding.

Kneecap’s frontman, Mo Chara, paused the performance to deliver a passionate 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,” he said. “The Palestinians have nowhere to go, it’s their fucking home and they’re bombing them from the skies.” He ended the speech with a strong call for justice, leading a chant of “Free, free Palestine.”

In response to the performance, the pro-Israel group Creative Community for Peace condemned Coachella’s decision to allow the protest, accusing the festival of fostering division rather than celebrating unity. “Festivals such as Coachella are meant to bring people together to celebrate music and life,” said Ari Ingel, executive director of the organization. “Instead, they allowed the festival to devolve into a forum of hate.” The group also pointed to Kneecap’s previous support of a terrorist group, further fueling the controversy.

The Hollywood Reporter cited sources who claimed that CEO Paul Tollett was “blindsided” by the controversy. Kneecap has long been vocal in their support for Palestine, even boycotting the 2024 SXSW festival after learning of U.S. Army and Israeli weapons contractors’ involvement in the event.