Sharon Osbourne calls on American visas to revoke after Coachella

Sharon Osbourne called to dismiss the American work visas of a West Belfast rap group.

Last weekend, Knecap performed in Coachella, an annual music festival in California, where they finished their set with pro-Palestinian messages.

Writing on social networks, the personality of television and the American talent judge declared that the hip-hop trio had “carried their performance at a different level by incorporating aggressive political declarations”.

The ball joint and the festival organizers were approached for comments.

The group is expected to play a number of shows in the United States and Canada in the coming months.

A spokesperson for the US State Department said: “Due to privacy and other considerations, and the confidentiality of the visa, we will not generally comment on the actions of the ministry with regard to specific cases.”

Warning: This article has a language that some readers can find the offensive

Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people – mainly civilians – and bringing 251 to Gaza in hostages.

Israel launched a massive military offensive in response, which killed 51,240 Palestinians – mainly civilians – according to personalities from the Ministry of Hamas in Gaza on Monday.

The ball joint was vocal supporters of the Palestinian people, often increasing the conflict in their live performances.

At the end of their set during the second weekend of Coachella, which was not broadcast on the official Youtube page of the festival, the ballot projected three text screens.

The first message indicated: “Israel commits a genocide against the Palestinian people”, followed by: “He is able to the American government who arms and finances Israel despite their war crimes”, and a final screen added: “F *** Israel. Palestine Libre”.

During the performance, the member of the Mo Chara group said: “The Irish not so long ago were persecuted in the hands of the British, but we have never been bombed from the sky F ****** with nowhere where to go.

“The Palestinians have nowhere to go.”

The group also led the public in the songs of: “Free and free Palestine”.

On April 11, during the first performance of Coachella de Knecap, the group was criticized after having run an anti -margaret song Thatcher – which was then omitted from the delivery of the festival – as well as calls to a United Irish.

On Tuesday, Osbourne said on social networks that the actions of the group included “projections of anti-Israeli messages and hate speeches”.

“This group openly supports terrorist organizations,” she added.

“I urge you to join me to plead for the revocation of the balloon work visa,” she said.

A spokesperson for the US State Department told BBC News or that the Trump administration “focuses on the protection of our nation and our citizens respecting the highest standards of national security and public security thanks to our visa process”.

“When we consider the revocations, the ministry examines the information that occurs after the delivery of the visa which can indicate ineligibility for the potential visa under American immigration laws, constitute a threat to public security or other situations where the revocation is justified,” they added.

“This may include everything, arrests, criminal convictions and conduct incompatible with the classification of visas, to overcome.”

Ms. Osbourne also criticized the organizers of the festival, Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

“The reports indicate that Goldenvoice was not aware of the political intentions of the patella when they were reserved,” said Osbourne.

“However, after having witnessed their performance during the first weekend, allowing them to occur again the following weekend suggests the support of their rhetoric and a lack of reasonable diligence,” she continued.

“This behavior raises concerns about the relevance of their participation in such a festival and additional programs that they are reserved for playing in the United States,” said Osbourne.

“I know full well that some people in the industry had written in Goldenvoice, broadcasting their concerns around the reservation of the patella,” she said.

The organizers were also approached for comments.

The ball joint is a rap trio which spoke Irish who courted the controversy with their provocative words and their goods.

The group was trained in 2017 by three friends who go through the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and Dj Próvaí.

In November 2024, the rap group won His discrimination case against the British government for a decision to Kemi Badenoch to withdraw an artistic subsidy When she was Minister of the Cabinet.

Their ascent to glory inspired a semi-fiction film with the actor nominated with Oscars Michael Fassbender.

THE The film won a Prix de la British Academy of Film (BAFTA) in February 2025.

In response to performance, the organizers of the Nova Music Festival, Tribe of Nova, said that the ball joint had “deeply injured a lot in our community”.

Hundreds of people were killed at the festival and a number of people were removed during the attack on Hamas on October 7, 2023.

In a statement, they said: “We invite the members of the patella to visit the Nova exhibition and to discover the stories of those who were murdered, of those who survived and those who are still detained hostage.

“Do not be ashamed or silence – but to connect. To witness. To understand.”