Sharon Osbourne has called for the Irish rap group Kneecap to have their US work visas to be revoked after their politicised Coachella performance.
The trio – who starred in their own self-titled Bafta-winning film in 2024 – displayed a graphic, which read “F*** Israel, Free Palestine” during their set at the Southern California desert music festival on Saturday (19 April).
Kneecap, who are known for hits including “C.E.A.R.T.A” and “Get Your Brits Out”, have been vocal supporters of Palestine and have regularly waved flags and led “Free Palestine” chants on stage.
Frontman Mo Chara reportedly said during their latest Coachella performance: “The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the… skies with nowhere to go.
“The Palestinians have nowhere to go. This is their f***ing home, and they’re being bombed from the sky.”
Osbourne, 72, was incensed by the show and criticised festival organisers for allowing Coachella to become a “platform for political expression”.
Writing on X/Twitter, the divisive former X Factor judge said Kneecap had taken “their performance to a different level by incorporating aggressive political statements.”
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“This band openly support terrorist organisations,” she added. “I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap’s work visa.”
Representatives for Kneecap told The Independent in a statement: “[Our] statements aren’t aggressive. Murdering 20,000 children is, though. Or executing 15 medics and burying them and their ambulances.”
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The group – who are set to play a number of shows in the US in coming months – have a significant following in America, particularly after the success of their BAFTA-winning biopic.
The film depicted their rise to fame and how they strived to bring the Irish language to a younger generation.
Calls to have the band removed from the country come after the rap group also faced backlash for leading an anti-Margaret Thatcher chant during their set at Coachella’s opening weekend.
Kneecap were joined by full-throated audience participation as they sang “Maggie’s in a Box” to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s 1983 hit “Give It Up.”
In her post, Osbourne criticised festival organisers, Goldenvoice, for allowing Kneecap to perform for a second time.
“Reports indicate that Goldenvoice was unaware of Kneecap’s political intentions when they were booked,” she wrote.
“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.”
The Independent has contacted Goldenvoice for comment.
Osbourne also condemned Kneecap’s management company, Independent Artists Groups, who employs multiple staff members of Jewish heritage.
She wrote: “It is disheartening that they have not used their positions to prevent the promotion of such controversial messages. Shame on them.”
