KNEECAP have released a statement saying there is a "smear campaign" against them, as a result of their outspoken stance on Palestine.

The Belfast rap trio took to social media following reports that British counter-terrorism police were investigating footage from two separate KNEECAP gigs. One allegedly featured a band member shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah," while the other video appeared to show a member stating: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."

The footage surfaced shortly after KNEECAP displayed pro-Palestine and anti-genocide messages at Coachella earlier this month. During their second set at the festival, the trio unveiled messages such as "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people" and "Fuck Israel, Free Palestine."

British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called for the band to be prosecuted, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin asked the rappers to "urgently clarify" their position, adding that supporting terrorist organisations would be "unacceptable."

In their statement, KNEECAP said they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah," and that they "condemn all attacks on civilians, always."

They added that "an extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised" against them.

"All two million Palestinian people in Gaza are currently being starved to death by Israel," KNEECAP remarked elsewhere in their statement. "At least 20,000 children in Gaza have been killed."

"The powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine," they continued. "This is where real anger and outrage should be directed towards."

The trio also expressed their "heartfelt apologies" to the families of  Labour MP Jo Cox and Conservative MP Sir David Amess, who were murdered in 2016 and 2021, respectively – noting that they "never intended to cause [them] hurt."

Read the full statement below: 

"They want you to believe words are more harmful than genocide.

"Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral hysteria.

"Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history. We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever.

"An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action.

"This distortion is not only absurd - it is a transparent effort to derail the real conversation.

"All two million Palestinian people in Gaza are currently being starved to death by Israel. At least 20,000 children in Gaza have been killed.

"The British government continues to supply arms to Israel, even after scores of NHS doctors warned Keir Starmer in August that children were being systematically executed with sniper shots to the head. Instead of defending innocent people or the principles of international law, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine.

"This is where real anger and outrage should be directed towards.

"To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt.

"KNEECAP’s message has always been – and remains – one of love, inclusion, and hope. This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our gigs.

"No smear campaign will change that.

"Suddenly, days after calling out the US administration at Coachella to applause and solidarity, there is an avalanche of outrage and condemnation by the political classes of Britain. The real crimes are not in our performances; the real crimes are the silence and complicity of those in power.

"Shame on them."

 

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