Dozens of Artists Sign Letter Defending Kneecap's Artistic Freedom

Dozens of prominent artists and bands, including Pulp, Primal Scream, Paul Weller, Massive Attack, and The Pogues, have signed an open letter defending the Irish rap group Kneecap's freedom of expression after the group faced widespread criticism and festival cancellations. The backlash followed Kneecap's onstage criticism of Israel at Coachella and the emergence of videos showing a member making incendiary remarks about UK politicians and expressing support for Hamas and Hezbollah—groups banned in the UK as terrorist organizations. Political leaders, including the UK Conservative leader, have called for Kneecap to be banned from major festivals like Glastonbury, citing concerns about incitement and recent violence against MPs. The artists’ statement opposes what they describe as a 'concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' Kneecap, arguing that political figures should not dictate festival lineups and emphasizing the importance of artistic freedom in a democracy. Some signatories, such as Massive Attack, acknowledged the seriousness of language that could be perceived as incitement, but argued politicians are focusing outrage on Kneecap while ignoring issues like the war in Gaza. Kneecap and their supporters maintain that their activism targets government actions, not individuals or religious groups, and reject accusations of antisemitism or support for terrorism.