Kneecap’s Germany and Portsmouth shows cancelled as Metropolitan Police say there is “grounds for further investigation” 

Kneecap are facing show cancellations in Germany and Portsmouth due to their on-stage comments, and Metropolitan Police have said there is “grounds for further investigation”.

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The backlash against the Irish hip-hop trio comes after their two sets at Coachella 2025, which saw them share overtly political statements in support of Palestine. The appearance divided fans and “blindsided” Coachella organisers, as well as leading to them finding themselves the subject of attention from counter-terror police in the UK – who are assessing two videos from other Kneecap shows.

Last week the controversy around the group saw scheduled German appearances at both Hurricane Festival and Southside Festival pulled, and calls from MPs emerged to have them removed from the line-ups of TNSMT, Glastonbury and more.

After the Hurricane and Southside shows were axed, Kneecap announced three shows in Germany, set for Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin this summer. They marked their first headline shows in the country. However, as of Wednesday (April 30), these shows have been cancelled too.

The decision to cancel the Germany appearances is likely due to the controversy around the band and their recent Coachella sets. As highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter, the decision was presumably related to Germany’s strict hate speech laws – which also led to a Roger Waters show being cancelled in 2023. For instance, the pro-Palestinian slogan “From the river to the sea” is considered as anti-Israel hate speech in some German Courts and seen as a criminal offence.

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