Sharon Osbourne has called upon U.S. authorities to revoke work visas for the Irish language rap group Kneecap following their performance at Coachella, where they criticized Israeli attacks on Gaza. Osbourne, a TV presenter, accused the band of hate speech and supporting terrorism, arguing that they should be barred from performing in the U.S. She urged her followers to support this stance on X.
Fox News commentators also condemned Kneecap, accusing them of introducing sentiments reminiscent of “Nazi Germany” to America. Kneecap dismissed these criticisms, sharing messages of support from fans and noting that they have received thousands of such endorsements, along with hundreds of threatening messages from “violent Zionists”. The group pointed out that nearly all of their upcoming U.S. tour dates for October have sold out.
Kneecap, consisting of Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara from Belfast and DJ Próvaí from Derry, has been gaining popularity in the U.S. with their fusion of Irish republicanism, punk, and their acclaimed film. During their performance at Coachella, they criticized Britain’s historical treatment of the Irish without air strikes, contrasted with the situation faced by Palestinians, and led the audience in chants of “free, free Palestine”. Pro-Palestinian messages were displayed, condemning Israel’s actions and implicating the U.S. government’s support.
Osbourne, known for her role as a judge on America’s Got Talent, argued that music should unite people, not spread hate or promote terrorism, specifically criticizing Kneecap for their political statements. She highlighted the band’s support for terrorism as a reason to question their participation in festivals.
Fox News’ reactions extended to comparing Kneecap’s views to Nazi Germany and called for the band’s removal from influential positions, suggesting a need to re-establish educational values. Kneecap responded by mocking the commentators for being unfamiliar with the band, and also mentioned that they intended to protest U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza during an earlier performance at Coachella, but their message was not shown on the screen. They also complained that a livestream omitted a chant celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/23/sharon-osbourne-calls-for-kneecap-rappers-us-visas-to-be-revoked-after-israel-criticism
