Kneecap rappers deny support for Hamas and Hezbollah

Rappers from the Northern Irish group Kneecap, known for their pro-Palestinian messages, affirmed that they have "never supported Hamas or Hezbollah" and denied any incitement to hate against Conservative MPs, after videos of the group sparked outrage.

"To be clear: we do not and have never supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always," the rappers stated in a press release issued Monday evening on social media.

On April 18, during a concert at the Coachella festival in California, the Belfast trio projected the following messages on a giant screen: "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people," "Fuck Israel, free Palestine."

Their remarks have sparked strong reactions on social media, and videos of previous concerts have since been circulating, amplifying the controversy. One of them, filmed in London last year, shows one of the rappers shouting "come on Hamas, come on Hezbollah." Both organizations are designated as terrorist and banned in the United Kingdom, and it is illegal to express any support for them.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin urged the rappers on Monday to "urgently clarify" their position. British police said they were reviewing the video, as well as another one, filmed during a concert in November 2023, in which one of the rappers says "a good Tory [member of the British Conservative Party] is a dead Tory. Kill your MP."

"We also categorically deny the idea that we are seeking to incite violence against an MP or an individual. Never," the rappers stated.

They offered their "sincere apologies" to the families of two MPs, Conservative David Amess and Labour's Jo Cox, murdered in 2021 and 2016 respectively. "We have never intended to harm you," they assured.

The rappers condemned a "smear campaign" against them, mentioning video footage "taken out of context" and an "obvious attempt to divert from real topics of conversation."

"The real crimes are not in our performances; the real crimes are the silence and complicity of those in power," they added. The rappers, who gained international fame with their 2024 album "Fine Art" and a high-energy docu-fiction, "Kneecap," are distinguished by their punk energy. The trio raps in both English and Irish and defends their language as an "anti-colonialist" cry against British power.