Paloma Faith, Kae Tempest, Amyl & The Sniffers and more lead huge list of additions to letter supporting Kneecap and “freedom of expression”

Paloma Faith, Kae Tempest, Amyl & The Sniffers and many more are amongst the 100 new names that have signed a letter supporting the right to artists’ freedom of expression, following commotion around Kneecap.

• READ MORE: ‘Kneecap’ review: ballsy, brave and one of the best music biopics ever made

The Belfast rap trio recently courted controversy after they supposedly “blindsided” Coachella organisers with overtly political statements in support of Palestine. UK counter-terror police also announced they were “assessing” two videos from the band’s gigs. One video shows one of the band members allegedly shouting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”, whilst the group allegedly called for the death of Conservative MPs in another.

Politicians have been calling for Kneecap to be removed from festival line-ups this summer, and shows in Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin for this summer have been cancelled, as well as a date in Plymouth in July. Previously announced shows at Hurricane and Southside Festivals and an Eden Project gig have also been cancelled in the last fortnight, and their biopic was pulled from American Airlines.

Now, 100 new names have been added to a letter first published on May 2, with Tom Morello, Brian Eno, CMAT leading names expressing their support for artists’ freedom of expression.

Paloma Faith, Kae Tempest, and Amyl & The Sniffers are among to latest to have pledged their support. Squid, Nation of Language, Robert Wyatt, The Magic Numbers, The Orielles, Loose Articles, Adwaith and many more can also be spotted in the updated signatory list below:

Since the announcement of their gig footage being assessed by police, Kneecap have denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah and have denied promoting violence against MPs. “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never OK. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history,” read a recent statement.

“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.”

In addition to the artist statement, Kneecap’s label Heavenly Recordings have shared their own letter supporting the rap group. Pulp, Fontaines D.C., IDLES, Massive Attack, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Enter Shikari, English Teacher, The Pogues, Lankum, Toddla T, Sleaford Mods and Thin Lizzy are just some of the names who have co-signed the letter, with Massive Attack saying in their own statement: “Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story”.

Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Billy Bragg weighed in on the debacle, saying that “the band have apologised for the hurt they caused to the families of murdered MPs and distanced themselves from Hamas and Hezbollah. Having taken that step, I believe they deserve to be reinstated on those bills that have removed them, and also confirmed as playing at those festivals where they are already scheduled to perform.”

However, Bragg added that the artist statement and its wording “lacks any sense of nuance or understanding of why this whole furore kicked off. And in trying to avoid the complexities of this issue by claiming that the politics of an artist’s views are irrelevant, the signatories are arguing that the only principle at stake here is free speech.”

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A post shared by Billy Bragg (@billybraggofficial)

“We must be careful not to allow the considered and cogent arguments we seek to make – Free Palestine, end the genocide – to be undermined by flippant statements that we later have to apologise for,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sharon Osbourne also hit out against the group against their appearances at Coachella. Taking to X, Osbourne – who has Ashkenazi Jewish heritage – wrote a lengthy post claiming that the sets “compromised” the festival’s “moral and spiritual integrity”. She also urged for the trio to have their working visas revoked due to the performances.

“Her rant has so many holes in it that it hardly warrants a reply, but she should listen to ‘War Pigs’ that was written by Black Sabbath,” Chara said in response. The nod to Black Sabbath comes as her husband Ozzy Osbourne, is the band’s frontman.

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