John Lydon hits out at Kneecap: “They need a bloody good kneecapping!”
John Lydon has hit out at Kneecap and said that he thinks the members “need a bloody good kneecapping”.
The Irish hip-hop trio have been at the centre of controversy since their appearance at Coachella 2025, where they supposedly “blindsided” festival organisers by projecting the slogan “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine” onto the screen behind them, led chants from the audience, and gave a speech about their support for Gaza.
Backlash continued when footage from previous live shows resurfaced and showed the members appearing to both support Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as call on fans to “kill their local MP”. Footage from the shows has become the subject of attention from counter-terror police in the UK, while the divisive set at Coachella led to calls from Sharon Osbourne to have their working visa revoked.
Now, former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has weighed in on the situation and claimed that the members “need a bloody good kneecapping” – referencing the form of physical punishment that inspired their band name.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the PiL frontman hit out at the band for their comments regarding MPs saying: “If you’re advocating the death of another human being, then you have no cause whatsoever. You are my enemy from here on in for the rest of your mediocre existence.”
He continued: “You shouldn’t be talking like that, you shouldn’t be making enemies of your fellow human beings. Other than that, maybe they need a bloody good kneecapping!”
@itvnews Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has called controversial band Kneecap his ‘enemy’. #itvnews #kneecap #punk
The term ‘Kneecapping’ is used in Northern Ireland, and refers to a form of violence seen from self-appointed vigilantes – often paramilitaries – who take the law into their own hands and punish those they accuse of anti-social behaviour by shooting them in the knees.
Also in the interview on GMB, Lydon accused the trio of trying to copy Sex Pistols and their headline-grabbing manner of controversy. “I think they’re following what they think is the Sex Pistols route,” he said. “It’s helpful isn’t it, when you get the Financial Times propping you up.”
Lydon continued saying that although Sex Pistols were “celebrated” in business papers and publications, it only came as an attempt to “humiliate” them. Kneecap though, he claimed, were getting coverage because “that’s become the format”.
Previously, Kneecap’s management have spoken about how the band got their name, and highlighted how it came in a bid to reclaim the term and the surrounding imagery. It was also chosen ironically as some of the topics they discuss may have led to them being ‘kneecapped’ during Northern Ireland troubles (via BBC).
The band told NME last year about the ways that they toy with imagery to spark a debate. Referring to the title of their debut album ‘Fine Art’, they shared that it was their two-word response to the media frenzy that followed the unveiling of a 2022 mural that showed a Police Service of Northern Ireland jeep on fire.
“We knew that was going to have that reaction of people being really outraged,” Mo Chara said. “It’s such an extreme form of art through satire that it creates this dialogue where people start defending us or coming after us online. It’s hilarious that they’re so dedicated and they’re not even sure why they’re annoyed.”
The investigation into Kneecap from the counter-terror police is ongoing and none of the members have been charged.
The trio have denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah, and denied promoting violence against MPs. “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never OK. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history,” they shared.
“We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever. An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action.”
The band also opened up about misconceptions around their messaging when speaking to NME as part The Cover – and shared that they do not condone violence. “Obviously I can’t speak for what happened before me [in Ireland],” said Chara, sharing his sympathy for what past generations went through. “But we don’t support violence as that doesn’t make any sense any more.”
Many have shared their support for Kneecap and the “freedom of expression” – including Tom Morello, Brian Eno, Pulp, Fontaines D.C. and more, who all signed an open letter to protect freedom of expression.
That being said, Sharon Osbourne again hit out at the band by calling them “pathetic”, “uneducated” and “full of hate” and urging them to be more like U2’s Bono in their approach to activism. The members are said to be seeking new sponsors to renew their visa for upcoming shows, after being dropped by their booking agent.
In the UK, the situation has led to calls from MPs to have Kneecap booted off festival line-ups including TRNSMT and Glastonbury. Multiple shows have been cancelled as a result of the controversy too.
A slot at Cornwall’s Eden Project line-up was cancelled last month and, although Kneecap then announced a Plymouth show set for the same day, that one was soon cancelled, as well as five gigs in Germany. In response to the Plymouth show being axed, the band have shared details of three other shows at a different venue in the city.
Artists who have defended Kneecap amid the backlash include Pulp, Fontaines D.C., IDLES, Massive Attack, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Enter Shikari, English Teacher, The Pogues, Lankum, Toddla T, Sleaford Mods and Thin Lizzy. One of the most vocal acts backing the trio is Massive Attack – who themselves have been ardent supporters for Palestine for decades and have boycotted performing in Israel since 1999.
The post John Lydon hits out at Kneecap: “They need a bloody good kneecapping!” appeared first on NME.
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