Kneecap's Glastonbury performance ‘being assessed by police' after x-rated blast at PM and ‘riot' joke

Sunday World

18 hours ago

Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed around 45 minutes before their performance
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Kneecap performing at the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Moglai Bap of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Mo Chara and Moglai Bap of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Mo Chara of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Mo Chara of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Police in England are reportedly assessing the Glastonbury performance of Kneecap.
Earlier this afternoon, the west Belfast trio performed a set on the West Holts stage, which was closed around 45 minutes before their performance due to capacity.
During their performance they led the crowd in chants of 'Free Mo Chara and f*** Keir Starmer' during their Glastonbury set, while also thanking the organisers for not bowing to pressure to cancel their performance.
However, in a post on social media Avon and Somerset Police said: 'We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon.
'Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.'
According to the Manchester Evening News, the acts being reportedly assessed by police are Kneecap and singer Bob Vylan, who performed prior to the group.
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Kneecap's performance came just hours after the BBC, Glastonbury's long-time broadcaster, announced it would not be streaming the set live. Instead, a spokesperson said it may be added to their streaming service, BBC iPlayer, 'later this evening.'
After performing several tracks, the band addressed the crowd, referencing Mo Chara – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – and his appearance in court earlier this month, where he was accused of displaying a flag in support of the proscribed organisation Hezbollah.
The charge relates to an incident at a London concert last November, where the rapper was alleged to have held up a Hezbollah flag and encouraged support for both Hezbollah and Hamas from the stage.
He denies the allegations and has been released on unconditional bail ahead of a further court hearing in August.
The charge sparked widespread political and public debate, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stating it would be 'inappropriate' for the group to perform at Glastonbury.
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for the BBC to refrain from broadcasting Kneecap's set.
The controversy was addressed when the band took to the stage this afternoon.
'You might have seen that Mo Chara was in Westminster's courts this month,' said band member Móglaí Bap to the crowd.
JJ O'Dochartaigh (DJ Provai) of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage. Pic: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Describing the charges as 'trumped-up terrorism,' he added: 'This is not the first time there's been a miscarriage of justice for an Irish person in the British justice system.
'We will start a riot outside the court [next month],' he said, before joking: 'The papers will love that. That's for the Daily Mail.'
He later clarified: 'I don't want anyone to riot – just love and support. And more importantly, support for Palestine.'
Mo Chara said 'Glastonbury, I'm a free man' as the Irish rap trio took to the stage. He went on to thank the long-time owners and organisers of Glastonbury, the Eavis family.
Sir Michael Eavis had earlier said that people who do not agree with the politics of the event "can go somewhere else".
Mo Chara of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire
'The pressure that they were under – fair play to them. They had the Prime Minister of your country – not mine – saying he didn't want us to play. F*** Keir Starmer.
'The stress of our situation can be hard at times,' he added, 'but it's nothing compared to what the Palestinian people are going through every day.
'We're from west Belfast, a place still under British occupation – as well as Derry. The Irish have suffered under occupation and colonisation.
'But we were never bombed from the skies with nowhere to go – not only starved to death, but kids being starved to death, and we're all watching it. We all have phones.'
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They later called Israel 'war criminals' and said: 'It's a genocide. The number of Palestinian flags here is incredible. The BBC editor is going to have a tough job tonight.'
The band then led the audience in chants of 'Free Palestine,' with one member shouting: 'Glastonbury, I am so f***ng proud of you.
'This is the biggest crowd we have ever played.'
Moglai Bap of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
During their set, the group also referred to the Prime Minister as 'a s*** Jeremy Corbyn,' in reference to the Labour Party's former leader.
They also said: 'We don't hate the English, we hate the English government'.
Kneecap on stage at Glastonbury. (Photo by)
News in 90 Seconds - June 28th
Later, just before their final song, the band added: 'We want to thank Glastonbury for standing by us, and standing by Palestine - and the truth.
'One day it will be controversial for bands and people who didn't speak out about Palestine. We will remember them and so will history.'
The crowd ahead of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage (Yui Mok/PA)
On Friday, the band released a short film calling for an arms embargo against Israel.
The film, which was posted on the Irish rappers' social media channels, is entitled Stop the Genocide and features testimony from a plastic surgeon, an emergency physician, a Palestinian activist, and an artist.
The video opens with the voice of Mo Chara saying: 'Genocide is a crime against humanity.'
Earlier on Saturday, the BBC confirmed they would not be live-streaming the set but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later.
Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
'While the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines.
'We don't always live-stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.'
Kneecap performing at the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire
It is understood the BBC needs to consider the performance before making a final decision.
The band said on Instagram: 'The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us….
'They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure.'
O hAnnaidh, 27, was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah, while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year.
On June 18 the rapper 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.
Kneecap on stage at Glastonbury. (Photo by)
Chaotic scenes as Kneecap's Liam Og O hAnnaidh arrives at court
He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on August 20.
Ahead of the group's performance, Gemma Gibson, 41, from Newcastle told the PA news agency that she was 'really excited' to see Kneecap perform.
Asked if their set should have been cancelled amid the ongoing controversy, she said: 'Well, that would be completely against everything that Glastonbury stands for… This is where they should be.'
Also playing on Saturday afternoon were Leeds rock band Kaiser Chiefs and US star Brandi Carlile, who released an album with Sir Elton John earlier in the year.
Kaiser Chiefs performing on the Pyramid Stage (Yui Mok/PA)
Irish singer CMAT, who played the Pyramid Stage on Friday, performed a secret set at the BBC Introducing stage on Saturday.
Celebrities who have been spotted at the festival include singer Harry Styles, Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, The Crown actor Emma Corrin, and Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn.
Performing in the coveted Sunday legends slot this year is Sir Rod Stewart, who previously said he will be joined by his former Faces band member Ronnie Wood, as well as other guests.
The BBC is providing livestreams of the five main stages: Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park.