Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap—at the center of both acclaim and controversy over the past six months—once again used their Øyafestivalen afternoon slot in Oslo, Norway, on Friday, August 8, to speak out on the Gaza conflict.
Just before Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí hit the stage, a stark white-on-black statement appeared on the video board, accusing Norway’s sovereign wealth fund of backing what it called “genocide” against Palestinians. “Over 80,000 people have been killed by Israel in 21 months,” the message declared, ending with “Free Palestine,” and the crowd responded with enthusiastic applause. Official tallies, including Gaza health authorities, estimate more than 60,000 Palestinian fatalities, roughly 18,500 of whom were children.
While Israeli-Palestinian tensions span decades, violence escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters penetrated southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people—over 800 of them civilians—and abducting 251 hostages, at least 40 of whom have since been confirmed dead, with about 50 still captive. Israel’s ensuing Gaza offensive is estimated to have claimed some 60,000 lives, triggering mass displacement and acute food shortages. Gaza health officials report nearly 200 starvation-related deaths, and UN agencies estimate an additional 1,300 fatalities among those searching for aid—a figure contested by Israeli authorities. Recently, Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan to seize full control of Gaza City and relocate more than 600,000 Palestinians, a move widely denounced by global leaders.
Norway’s position is complicated: although it diverged from its allies by formally recognizing Palestinian statehood, its $1.9 trillion Government Pension Fund—financed by oil revenues—came under scrutiny after an Aftenposten report revealed about $15.2 million invested from 2023–2024 in Bet Shemesh Engines, a supplier to the Israeli military. Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg ruled out a blanket divestment but has ordered a thorough review of the fund’s portfolio to avoid supporting entities linked to the Gaza conflict.
Midway through their set, Mo Chara, wearing a keffiyeh, addressed the audience: “I’m sure many of you are tired of hearing this, and trust me, so are we. But until change happens, we’ll keep using every stage to denounce genocide and call out war criminals.” His speech earned cheers and a sea of Palestinian flags. Though Israel rejects accusations of genocide, the term’s usage has intensified, even among two prominent Israel-based human rights organizations that recently applied it to the Gaza operations.
He also expressed gratitude to Øyafestivalen for standing by Kneecap amid boycott calls, then turned his criticism to KKR—the global investment firm behind Superstruct Entertainment, which owns the festival—arguing that any corporation profiting from Israel’s military actions should have no place at music events. The crowd responded with audible agreement.
Outside the venue, activists urged festivalgoers to boycott Øyafestivalen over KKR’s involvement. Later, Irish rockers D.C. Fontaines echoed the message on another stage, projecting “Free Palestine” to enthusiastic applause.
Mo Chara is currently defending himself against a UK terrorism charge tied to a November 2024 concert, where he allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag and chanted pro-Hezbollah and pro-Hamas slogans. Kneecap has denied any support for those groups, calling the footage “misrepresented.” Onstage in Oslo, Mo Chara quipped, “We love the English people—just not their government,” and rallied the crowd: “We’re in court over terrorism allegations—bring the energy!”
In July, Hungary’s government barred Kneecap from performing, labeling them a “national security threat” over alleged antisemitism and the glorification of terror. The band responded by condemning Viktor Orbán’s decision as baseless, emphasizing that no member has been convicted of any crime, reaffirming their stance against hate crimes, and accusing Hungarian authorities of attempting to silence critics of genocide in Gaza.
