Paris festival keeps Irish rap group Kneecap on stage amid Gaza protest backlash

ISTANBUL

Irish rap group Kneecap, known for their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, performed at the Rock en Seine music festival outside Paris despite protests and funding cuts from local authorities.

The Belfast trio, one of whose members faces a terrorism-related charge in the UK after allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a London show, took the stage in Saint-Cloud, west of the capital, France 24 reported on Sunday.

“Free, free Palestine!” the group shouted as they opened their performance, drawing cheers from thousands of festivalgoers, many of whom waved keffiyehs and wore Irish jerseys.

The band insisted they are “not against Israel,” even as security removed several individuals who whistled in protest.

The decision to keep Kneecap on the program sparked backlash from Jewish organizations and officials.

Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), accused the group of “desecrating the memory of the 50 French victims of Hamas on October 7, as well as all the French victims of Hezbollah,” and called for the show to be cancelled.

Before the concert, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau spoke with the media, warning against any antisemitic remarks, apologies for terrorism, or incitement to hatred during the event.

In response, the municipality of Saint-Cloud withdrew its €40,000 ($47,000) subsidy for the festival, while the wider Ile-de-France region cut its funding for the 2025 edition.

Festival director Matthieu Ducos, however, expressed confidence ahead of the concert, saying the group would perform “in the correct manner.”

Despite the controversy, the concert went ahead without major incident. Organizers said the festival’s budget of around €16-17 million would not be jeopardized by the loss of subsidies.

Kneecap, who advocates Irish republicanism and the union of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, has previously sparked debate throughout Europe.

The group was barred from performing in Hungary earlier this summer, yet it did perform at the Glastonbury Festival in June, where one member declared, Israel is a war criminal.