Kneecap Glastonbury slot ‘not appropriate', says Keir Starmer
LATEST |
It comes after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week
Kneecap's Liam Og O Hannaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, through a crowd of supporters after he appeared charged with a terrorism offence. The 27-year-old from Belfast, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara and is also known as Liam O'Hanna, has been charged with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on November 21. Picture date: Wednesday June 18, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
He made the comments after Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday, after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year.
In an interview with The Sun, Mr Starmer was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this.
'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.'
It comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week.
Mrs Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda.
'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act.
'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.'
Kneecap's Liam Og O Hannaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, through a crowd of supporters after he appeared charged with a terrorism offence. The 27-year-old from Belfast, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara and is also known as Liam O'Hanna, has been charged with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on November 21. Picture date: Wednesday June 18, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd
The Tory Leader of the Opposition has previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury, and last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after she tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister.
Kneecap took aim at Mrs Badenoch in their latest single, The Recap, released just before their headline set at London's Wide Awake festival in May, with the song mocking the politician's attempts to block their arts funding and the Conservative Party's election loss.
On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts.
During the proceedings, a prosecutor told the court the 27-year-old is 'well within his rights' to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, is a 'wholly different thing'.
O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20.
Following the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday.
'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September.
'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.'
The charge came following a counter-terrorism police investigation after the historical gig footage came to light, which also allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs.
In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'.
In an initial post in response to the charge, Kneecap said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us.
'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction.
'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective?
'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out.
'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification.
'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.'
Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English and their merchandise.
Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag.
A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival.'
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
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Ex-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted that he thought Keir Starmer was pulling "some sort of gag" when he said Kneecap's upcoming Glastonbury performance is "inappropriate". Over the weekend, the UK Prime Minister said it was "not appropriate" for the Belfast trio to cash in at the festival, which takes place from this Wednesday until Sunday. His comments came in the wake of rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh being accused of displaying a flag in support of banned terror group Hezbollah at a gig. O hAnnaidh, 27, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, was bailed until later in the summer — leaving him free to play at Glastonbury. Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, Mr Starmer said: "No I don't. "I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won't say too much, because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate." Reacting to Mr Starmer's comments, former Taoiseach Mr Varadkar said he thought the PM was pulling "some sort of gag". He said on social media: "No longer hold office nor have any mandate so my views don't count for so much anymore. I get that. "But I really thought this was some sort of gag. It's the role of artists to be avant guarde, inappropriate, challenging, disruptive - from James Joyce to Sex Pistols and Playboy." Mr Varadkar warned that politicians should not try to "censor" artists. "Politicians really should not try to censor this. If an offence was committed, let the courts decide. In the mean time, the rule of law says the accused is innocent until proven guilty." The Belfast group are due to play the West Holts Stage on Saturday. Bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh have supported O hAnnaidh. They said at court: "For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on Saturday. "If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. Most importantly: free, free Palestine." The BBC has faced pressure not to air Kneecap's set, after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: "It should not be rewarding extremism." In a social media post on X, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group, Ms Badenoch wrote: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. "One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. "As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism." A BBC spokesperson said: "As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. "Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead up to the festival."
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LATEST | It comes after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week Kneecap's Liam Og O Hannaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, through a crowd of supporters after he appeared charged with a terrorism offence. The 27-year-old from Belfast, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara and is also known as Liam O'Hanna, has been charged with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on November 21. Picture date: Wednesday June 18, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire He made the comments after Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday, after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. In an interview with The Sun, Mr Starmer was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' It comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week. Mrs Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' Kneecap's Liam Og O Hannaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, through a crowd of supporters after he appeared charged with a terrorism offence. The 27-year-old from Belfast, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara and is also known as Liam O'Hanna, has been charged with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on November 21. Picture date: Wednesday June 18, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd The Tory Leader of the Opposition has previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury, and last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after she tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister. Kneecap took aim at Mrs Badenoch in their latest single, The Recap, released just before their headline set at London's Wide Awake festival in May, with the song mocking the politician's attempts to block their arts funding and the Conservative Party's election loss. On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. During the proceedings, a prosecutor told the court the 27-year-old is 'well within his rights' to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, is a 'wholly different thing'. O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20. Following the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday. 'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. 'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.' The charge came following a counter-terrorism police investigation after the historical gig footage came to light, which also allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs. In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'. In an initial post in response to the charge, Kneecap said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction. 'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? 'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out. 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English and their merchandise. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival.'
