Hozier speaks out for Palestine Action, Kneecap, free speech and equality during Reading 2025 headline set

Hozier used his set at Reading Festival 2025 to speak out in support of Palestine Action, Kneecap, free speech and equality.

• READ MORE: Reading & Leeds 2025 liveblog: Check out the action as it happens

The Irish musician performed on the main stage last night (August 22), and gave an impassioned speech, which began by referencing artists with an “instinct to tell the truth in their music”, listing Nina Simone, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez and Ewan MacColl.

He then spotlighted Mavis Staples and her family, The Staples Singers, who “used to sing before speeches during the American Civil Rights movement that took place in the 1960s.”

Hozier went on to say that he was particularly interested in the civil rights movement “as an Irishman coming from Ireland”, as it directly inspired the Northern Irish civil rights movement, which challenged the inequality and discrimination against ethnic Irish Catholics, many of whom were unable to vote.

“That right to vote, that we have, that democratic voice, that we have, like so many rights that we enjoy every single day, without even thinking about – rights of free Speech, workers rights, union rights, gay rights, women’s reproductive rights – it’s so easy to take these things for granted,” Hozier continued. “And it’s so easy to forget how much work had to go into these things existing for everybody, how they had to be fought for, how they had to be worked for.”

He went on to say: “As we’ve been traveling over these last nearly two years, I’ve been inviting people to use their rights of free speech, use their democratic voices, use their purchasing power, whatever it is that they can do, to support a meaningful political solution for the kind of violence we’ve been seeing on our TV screens over the last two years, and not lip service, but a meaningful peace process, a meaningful political investment that would bring about peace and safety and security for everybody in that region.”

hozier’s beautiful speech on palestine, lgbt+ rights and standing up for what you believe in that was cut by the bbc pic.twitter.com/CUEiP9XbDx

— ִֶָ (@saintscain) August 23, 2025

“Reading, at the core of it, I don’t think it’s complicated,” he continued. “I think people want to see human beings live in peace and safety, and security. I think that people would want to see that for their neighbours. They would want to see that for members of their community. I believe that people would want to see people they don’t know live with peace and safety, and security. Am I right?

“They wouldn’t want to see their neighbours live in fear of hatred or racism,” he added. “Wouldn’t want to see their Jewish friends live in the fear of anti-Semitism, and Muslim brothers and sisters live in the fear of Islamophobia. They want to see their members of the LGBTQ community treated with respect and dignity, and peace.”

The musician continued: “Safety and security for everybody in the Middle East means seeing a Palestine that’s free from occupation, that’s free from these cycles of genocide and violence, and it means seeing a Palestine that’s free to move towards meaningful self-determination and statehood.”

His comments come amid yesterday’s news (August 22) that famine is taking place in Gaza, which was confirmed in a report by The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), backed by the United Nations. The report acknowledged that the situation is “entirely man-made”, and aid organisations are also accusing Israel of the “systematic obstruction” of food entering the Gaza Strip.

Since Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens on October 7, 2023 that killed over 1100 people and saw 250 taken as hostages, multiple UN human-rights experts and UN bodies have stated that Israel’s military actions in Gaza may amount to genocide, and the International Court of Justice has found claims of genocide plausible.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. Israel rejects the genocide accusations and denies committing any war crimes, maintaining that its operations are lawful acts of self-defence.

“I know I don’t need to tell you that spray painting an aeroplane does not constitute an act of terrorism, or supporting the people who do does not constitute an act of terrorism. I know you know that,” Hozier continued.

His comments are in reference to Palestine Action, a direct action organisation that has been proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK government.

The group’s proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 means membership or public support for the group is classified as a criminal offence and could result in up to 14 years in jail. Earlier this month, over 500 people were arrested at a huge protest in central London that featured widespread support of the group, per The Guardian.

O MAIOR QUE TEMOS! Sendo o único headliner do Reading Festival que não teve seu set transmitido pela BBC, Hozier falou por vários minutos sobre a Palestina, direitos LGBTQIA+, direitos reprodutivos das mulheres e etc pic.twitter.com/REljKP6Pze

— Portal Hozier Brasil (@PortalHozierBr) August 22, 2025

“Or indeed,” he continued, “Irish musicians rapping or supporting the people of Palestine is not an act of terrorism either,” specifically shouting out Kneecap’s and member DJ Próvai.

It comes as the group’s Mo Chara is currently facing terrorism charges levelled against him in May for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag onstage at a London show last November. Chara appeared in court on Wednesday (August 20), where the case was adjourned until next month.

Kneecap have consistently denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah, and said that they do not incite or condone violence. They have also argued that the footage at the UK shows had been taken out of context, and described the legal action as a “carnival of distraction”.

Hozier concluded, saying: “Use your voice, use your kind power, use your vote in any way from that place of empathy and compassion to support peace and safety and security and free policy.”

Fans have criticised the fact that his performance was not livestreamed on BBC iPlayer and, at time of writing, has not yet been uploaded to the website.

It follows the BBC saying that it will no longer be broadcasting any performances it thinks may be “high risk” in the future, after they were criticised for livestreaming Bob Vylan’s set at Glastonbury 2025, which saw them lead chants of “Death to the IDF”.

Fans watching Reading & Leeds from home can follow the NME’s liveblog here. Also find out how to watch and listen on TV and radio here.

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