Fontaines D.C. guitarist passionately condemns Netanyahu and Zionism during award speech

Carlos O’Connell made the comments after the Irish band were awarded Best Album at the Rolling Stone UK Awards

Carlos O’Connell of Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. blasted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Rolling Stone UK Awards on Thursday (November 28) night.

The guitarist appeared on stage at London’s Roundhouse while accepting the award for Best Album for the band’s latest release, Romance.

“What a night,” O’Connell began. “I don’t know, I just think there’s only a couple of words to say here.”

Expressing his surprise that no other artists had mentioned Palestine, he said: “It’s kind of weird that this is the first time it’s been said all night, but I’m just gonna say it: Free Palestine. F*** Netanyahu. F*** Zionism. Free Palestine.”

O’Connell’s remarks come days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes during the conflict in Gaza.

This isn’t the first time the five-piece “Starburster” group — which also consists of lead singer Grian Chatten, guitarist Conor Curley, bassist Conor Deegan III and drummer Tom Coll — have voiced their support of Palestine.

In August, they canceled their Istanbul, Turkey gig in solidarity with Palestine.

The Irish post-punk was awarded Best Album at the Rolling Stone UK Awards (AFP via Getty Images)

“To all our wonderful fans in Turkey,” they said in a statement shared on social media. “Further to conversations with Palestinian artists and human rights activists, we have now decided to cancel our show at Sorlu PSM, Istanbul on Tuesday 20th August. The global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, led by the largest Palestinian coalition, has called on artists to refuse to play Zorlu PSM until Zorlu fully divests from the supply of energy to Israel while it carries out what the International Court of Justice now agrees is plausibly a genocide.”

It continued: “We were really looking forward to visiting and playing beautiful Istanbul, however in this instance, we must be clear in our convictions and put solidarity with the people of Palestine first. We promise to play in Turkey as soon as we can make it possible.”

Last week, Fontaines D.C. returned to the road after taking a month-long hiatus following the conclusion of the U.S. leg of their world tour in support of their new album, Romance.

The 11-track album, which was released on August 23, has been a hit among critics, with The Independent’s Mark Beaumont declaring it a “knockout record that is pleasingly disjointed” in his four-star review.

Elsewhere during the Rolling Stone UK Award show, disco icon Nile Rodgers, who was honored with the Global Icon award, accidentally let it slip that he will be performing at Glastonbury 2025 in the slot immediately after Rod Stewart.

“We’re going to have a blast because we follow [Stewart] directly,” Rodgers told press. “Rod and I have been friends for 80 gazillion years, so that means he’s gonna play tricks on me.

“We’re gonna have a great time together. I don’t know who’s in his current band, but we’ll probably be jamming,” he added.

When he was informed that his Glastonbury appearance hadn’t been officially announced yet, Rodgers laughed: “Am I not supposed to give that away? I always say too much.”