Kneecap denies supporting Hamas, under police investigation

The Irish rap group Kneecap has publicly denied supporting Hamas or Hezbollah following widespread criticism over footage from their concerts, including a video in which a member appeared to shout support for both groups—designated as terrorist organizations in the UK, US, and EU—while draped in a Hezbollah flag. The controversy, sparked by their anti-Israel performance at Coachella and resurfaced clips from previous concerts, led Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and UK officials to demand clarification of their position. In statements released on social media, Kneecap emphasized they 'condemn all attacks on civilians' and have 'never supported Hamas or Hezbollah.' The band also apologized to the families of murdered British MPs David Amess and Jo Cox after another video showed a member making remarks interpreted as inciting violence against politicians, insisting their words were taken out of context and not intended to incite harm. Kneecap claims they are the target of a 'coordinated smear campaign' due to their vocal support for Palestinians and maintains that their comments are being deliberately misrepresented. UK police are investigating the group in relation to these incidents, as expressing support for proscribed terrorist organizations is a criminal offense in the UK.