Kneecap, the Irish rap group that stirred controversy earlier this year over their anti-Israel, pro-Palestine messaging during their Coachella set back in April, have been forced to cancel their upcoming U.S. tour, the group announced on Monday.
“To all our US based fans we have some bad news. Due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London to the first date of the tour, as the British government continues it’s witch-hunt, we will have to cancel all 15 US tour dates in October, Kneecap wrote on social media on Monday. “With every show fully sold out, to tens of thousands of fans, this is news we are sad to deliver. But once we win our court case, which we will, we promise to embark on an even bigger tour to all you great heads. Refunds are available at point of purchase.”
While the group cited legal struggles in the U.K., as The Hollywood Reporter reported back in April, the status of Kneecap’s U.S. tour became uncertain after they parted ways with booking agency Independent Artist Group, which served as the trio’s visa sponsor. It’s common for booking agents to serve as visa sponsors for international artists, but when the agency stops working with the artist, their visa sponsorship ends as well.
Kneecap and IAG had parted ways after the first weekend of Coachella, before the group drew significant criticism from Jewish and pro-Israel groups after sharing a “fuck Israel, Free Palestine” message on stage during their weekend 2 performance. It’s unclear what the status of their U.S. visa situation is as of now, or if the group had signed another U.S. booking agency to sponsor them. Outside of U.S., the band is represented by Primary Talent International.
A representative for Kneecap didn’t immediately respond to request for comment. The cancellation only impacted the U.S. dates. As Kneecap confirmed in their announcement Monday, all four of their Canadian show dates will proceed as planned.
Through the criticism, Kneecap has denied allegations of antisemitism, arguing that their message is focused on the Israeli government’s actions.
“We do not give a f*ck what religion anyone practices,” the band previously said in a statement. “We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are. What we care about is that governments of the countries we perform in are enabling some of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes – and we will not stay silent.”
Prior to the U.S. cancellation, the band had been touring across Europe, including a raucous set at Glastonbury back in June. While the tour’s out, Kneecap said in their announcement Monday that they “will be sharing something very special for US fans next week so that we can still link in with you all in October.”
“It’s top secret for now but all will be revealed next week – stay tuned,” Kneecap said.
