Kneecap dropped from Scotland's TRNSMT Festival amid police safety concerns
DUBAI: Northern Irish rap group Kneecap has been pulled from the lineup of Scotland's TRNSMT music festival, with organizers citing police concerns over safety as the reason for the last-minute removal.
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The politically outspoken trio, known for fusing Irish republicanism with rap and for their recent pro-Palestinian stance at California's Coachella, were scheduled to perform on July 11. But festival organizers announced on Wednesday that they would no longer appear, following discussions with Police Scotland.
Police Scotland clarified that while concerns were raised, booking decisions were made independently by the festival: 'Any decision in relation to the line-up is a matter for the organisers. Police Scotland was not consulted prior to the acts being booked.'
In a statement on X, Kneecap addressed fans: 'To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry … it is out of our hands.' They added, 'Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We've played there many, many times, with no issues — ever. Make of that what you will.'
The band will instead perform at Glasgow's O2 Academy on July 8.
The decision comes as group member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, faces a terrorism charge in the UK for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November 2024. He is due to appear in court on June 18. Kneecap has called the charge 'political policing,' linking it to efforts to silence dissent.
'This is a carnival of distraction,' the group said. 'We are not the story, genocide is.'
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