What did John Lydon say about Kneecap? Former Sex Pistols frontman weighs in on the Irish hip-hop trio’s recent controversy

John Lydon, lead vocalist of the Sex Pistols, recently shared his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap. The issue traces back to the group’s Coachella 2025 performance, where they made anti-Israel comments during their set. The trio later claimed their statements had been censored.

However, while appearing on Good Morning Britain on May 7, 2025, co-presenter Susanna Reid asked Lydon about his opinions on Kneecap’s controversy. She quoted the Financial Times, which compared the hip-hop trio to the Sex Pistols.

Reid mentioned a 2023 London concert where a band member reportedly made a statement about Conservative politicians, which sparked widespread backlash. John Lydon responded:

“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 went on:

“You shouldn't be talking like that. You shouldn't be making enemies of your fellow human beings. Other than that maybe they need bl**dy good kneecapping.”

Co-presenter Ed Balls commented that many music festivals have withdrawn the band. John Lydon believed the band was trying to copy what they thought was the path taken by the Sex Pistols.

According to Billboard, the hip-hop trio faced mixed reactions to their comments. Sharon Osbourne called for their work visas to be revoked ahead of their North American tour. Shortly after, the band parted ways with their booking agency, Independent Artist Group.

In Northern Ireland, the word “kneecapping” referred to a violent act where vigilantes, usually paramilitary groups, punished people they believed had behaved badly by shooting them in the knees.

Kneecap will no longer perform at certain festivals

Kneecap recently released a statement apologizing to the families of Jo Cox and David Amess, two MPs who were killed in 2016 and 2021. They said they did not support violence against any politician or individual. They claimed the footage circulating online was taken out of context and misused.

Following the controversy, some politicians, including Tory MP Mark Francois, called for the band to be removed from UK festival lineups, such as Glastonbury. In response to the backlash, the group’s performances at Germany’s Hurricane and Southside festivals were called off. This was followed by a set at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Meanwhile, the London Metropolitan Police Service released a statement, mentioning that an investigation involving the videos that showed the band members’ statements was underway. The statement read:

“Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos.”

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According to CNN, a group of musicians, including Pulp, Paul Weller, and Massive Attack, signed a letter extending their support to the band. The band also shared a message on social media saying that the focus should be on Gaza and the violence happening there, not on the band itself.

Their manager, Daniel Lambert, claimed that the issue wasn’t about Kneecap, but more about discouraging younger artists from speaking about Palestine.

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