Most of the time, a music festival is supposed to bring people together, but in this case it’s a chance to spread hate, especially after tragedy.
The recent Coachella performances by the Irish trio Kneecap and Green Day have sparked controversy, not for their music, but for their brazen political statements targeting Israel. Kneecap’s backdrops, accusing Israel of “genocide” and declaring “F*** Israel / Free Palestine,” crossed a line from activism into hate speech. Green Day’s lyrical alteration, likening Palestinian struggles to their song’s narrative, further amplified this narrative. These displays, especially in light of the horrific October 7, 2023, massacre at an Israeli music festival, are not only insensitive but dangerously inflammatory.
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Sickly ironic how this loser band posted this ‘Free Palestine’ message during Coachella given how they massacred festival goers on October 7th.
I can’t tell if they’re just dumb or evil.
Maybe both 🤦🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/MjyB2KqdDv— Emily Austin (@emilyraustin) April 20, 2025
On that tragic day, Hamas terrorists stormed the Nova music festival in southern Israel, slaughtering over 360 attendees, taking hostages, and committing unspeakable atrocities. The attack, part of a broader assault that killed over 1,200 Israelis, was a stark reminder of the existential threats Israel faces. For survivors and the nation as a whole, the trauma remains raw. To then witness artists at a global music festival like Coachella—a place meant for unity and celebration—use their platform to vilify Israel while ignoring this context is a slap in the face to victims and their families.
For Coachella bands (Green Day & Kneecap) to denounce Israel re: Gaza is just grotesque, considering Hamas started the current war by murdering over 1200 Jewish civilians (including children) AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL. These bands contribute to global antisemitism. Lord have mercy.
— Keith Mcilwain (@KeithMcilwain) April 19, 2025
Related: ‘Don’t Look Away’: Israel Releases Video of Hamas Atrocities at Music Festival
Punk Rockers Green Day Mock MAGA, Get Hit With Karma As Fireworks From Their Set Send Crowd Running
Kneecap’s claim that their pro-Palestinian messaging was “censored” by Coachella organizers misses the point. Just because you have an opinion doesn’t entitle you to a platform for divisive rhetoric that dehumanizes an entire nation. Their backdrops didn’t just criticize Israeli policy; they accused Israel of war crimes and genocide—serious allegations that ignore the complexities of the conflict and Israel’s right to defend itself against groups like Hamas, which openly call for its destruction. The group’s additional anti-Margaret Thatcher chants, which also led to their livestream allegedly being cut, suggest a pattern of exploiting their stage for provocation rather than constructive dialogue.
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A no-name shitty Irish band stood on stage at Coachella music festival to support the jihadist scum who murdered and raped innocent people at the Nova music festival.
Why?
Because until today no one except a fringe few had ever heard of “Kneecap” and now everyone’s spreading… pic.twitter.com/mXJQQ2sqXZ
— The Persian Jewess (@persianjewess) April 20, 2025
Green Day’s lyrical change, while less overtly hostile, still paints a one-sided picture. By invoking “the kids from Palestine” as victims, they sidestep the reality of Hamas’ role in perpetuating violence, including using civilians as shields and diverting aid to build terror tunnels. This selective storytelling dismisses the suffering of Israeli children, parents, and festival goers who have endured rocket attacks, stabbings, and massacres. Plus once again attacking Trump for his policies, which is so par for the course for them that it would be sad, but it’s just expected at this point.
This isn’t about silencing artists or stifling free expression. It’s about responsibility. Art can and should provoke thought, as Kneecap’s Móglaí Bap argued, but it shouldn’t incite hatred or erase the pain of a nation reeling from terror. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is complex, with historical grievances and legitimate concerns on both sides. Yet, branding Israel as a genocidal state while ignoring Hamas’s history of genocidal intent, evident in its charter and its actions and numerous terrorist attacks, distorts reality and fuels division.
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Coachella, as a cultural institution, has a duty to foster togetherness in music harmony, not amplify rhetoric that alienates and wounds. Kneecap’s insistence on “sorting” their censored messaging for their next performance and their label’s hands-off approach raises concerns about accountability. If art is to court controversy, as they claim, it should at least strive for nuance, not slogans that demonize one side while romanticizing another.
For music lovers, this episode underscores a broader issue: the growing normalization of anti-Israel sentiment in cultural spaces. When artists use their influence to sling accusations without context, they risk emboldening extremism and deepening mistrust. Israel, like any nation, isn’t above criticism, but it deserves fairness—especially when its people are still mourning the loss of innocents gunned down at a music festival not unlike Coachella itself.
In the end, Kneecap and Green Day’s actions weren’t just political statements; they were a failure of empathy. True artistry uplifts and unites, even in disagreement. By choosing hate over healing, these performers did a disservice to their craft and to the victims of October 7, whose memory deserves better.
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