Kneecap Criticize Netanyahu in Reading Festival Set

Irish hip-hop group Kneecap delivered a politically charged headline performance at the Reading Festival on August 30, 2026, using their set to voice support for Palestine and criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. The West Belfast trio, performing with a Palestinian flag draped over their DJ deck, addressed the crowd midway through their set on the festival's final day. "It's important to us that we use this platform for what we believe to be right, and some people aren't as f***ing lucky right now, and that's our brothers and sisters in Palestine," the band stated. They continued, "As Irish people we understand displacement, colonialism and forced starvation of a population that we see right now in Palestine." The group then led the crowd in chants of "f*** Benjamin Netanyahu" and "free, free Palestine." In a subsequent address, the band directed criticism toward Andy Burnham, stating, "Andy Burnham said a united Ireland is off the table, so everybody Andy Burnham's a wanker." The performance featured tracks from their 2024 album Fine Art and their latest record FENIAN, alongside earlier hits like "Get Your Brits Out.