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Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action ‘terror group' T-shirt ahead of controversial Glasto set that BBC WON'T show live

Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action ‘terror group' T-shirt ahead of controversial Glasto set that BBC WON'T show live

The Irish Sun4 hours ago

CONTROVERSIAL hip hop group Kneecap have shared an image of one of its members wearing a "We Are All Palestine Action" ahead of their Glastonbury set.
JJ O Dochartaigh - who often wears a balaclava in public - was seen in the snap wearing the top on X, with the caption reading: "1 hour to go..."
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Kneecap member JJ O Dochartaigh in a 'We Are All Palestine Action' t-shirt ahead of the band's Glastonbury performance
Credit: Instagram
They are due to perform at 4pm on the West Holts stage.
It comes after the BBC confirmed it will not be broadcasting the Irish trio's performance live following Sir Keir Starmer saying they should be banned from appearing altogether.
Festival bosses, meanwhile, have already warned
Frontman Liam Og O hAnnaidh was
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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.
"Whilst 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."
The band themselves addressed a post on X to "a chairde Gael" - which means "Gaelic friends" in which they said they'd been contacted by the "propaganda wing of the regime".
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The post added: "They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure.
"The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so you'll need to be very early to catch us father....VERY EARLY".
A festival statement released today warns: "Kneecap will draw a large audience for their 4pm West Holts show.
"If you're not planning to see them, please plan alternative routes around that area.
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"If you do plan to attend, listen to stewards, and please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures."
Earlier this month the rapper - who performs under the stage name Mo Chara - and bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh were mobbed by hundreds of fans outside Westminster Magistrates' Court.
He was
The group's much-anticipated appearance at Glastonbury has been criticised by PM Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
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Mr Starmer said this week it is "not appropriate" for the group to perform at the festival, which started on Thursday.
Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, the PM 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.'
Ms Badenoch also said the BBC "should not be showing" the band's set in a post on social media.
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Her post said: "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."
The band are not currently listed for live broadcast.
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Avon and Somerset Police said: "Ticket-holders can once again expect to see uniformed officers on site at Glastonbury Festival 24/7 throughout the festival as part of our extensive policing operation ensuring it is safe for everyone attending, as well as those who live nearby."
In response to the charge, Kneecap said in a post: '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...
'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.'
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Hezbollah - founded in 1982 - is an Iran-backed Shiite militia.
The Lebanese terrorist organisation voiced support for the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 2023 before launching guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli-occupied positions the following day.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Israel has retaliated with strikes on Gaza - and the conflict remains ongoing, with thousands of people, including civilian children, killed.
Kneecap has said they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah", condemned all attacks on civilians, and alleged footage was "deliberately taken out of all context" as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" over their criticism of "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people".
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In pictures: Kneecap perform to a packed out crowd at Glastonbury
In pictures: Kneecap perform to a packed out crowd at Glastonbury

Irish Daily Mirror

time43 minutes ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

In pictures: Kneecap perform to a packed out crowd at Glastonbury

Kneecap's Glastonbury set didn't fail to disappoint on Saturday, with swaths of fans pouring to catch the Irish hip-hop trio. Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí took to the West Holts stage on Saturday afternoon and so many punters flocked to the stage that festival bosses had to shut down the area and turn fans away. It comes after calls came to remove the musicians from their set. However, while they remained, the BBC decided against live streaming the set, much to the disappointment of fans at home. Kneecap's Mo Chara told the audience "I'm a free man" when the group appeared on West Holts Stage on Saturday afternoon. At one point, a moshpit opened up for the most excited revellers, while others started up political chants of "F**k Keir Starmer" have joined shouts of "Free Palestine" and "F**k the Daily Mail". Musician Jelani Blackman joined Kneecap on stage for Harrow Road, before finishing his guest appearance with calls of "free free" to which the crows responds "Palestine". Take a look at the group's performance in our photostory below. Crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) 1 of 14 Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) 2 of 14 Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) 3 of 14 Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) 4 of 14 The crowd ahead of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) 5 of 14

‘I'm a free man': Kneecap perform at Glastonbury, as BBC opts not to live-stream set
‘I'm a free man': Kneecap perform at Glastonbury, as BBC opts not to live-stream set

Irish Times

timean hour ago

  • Irish Times

‘I'm a free man': Kneecap perform at Glastonbury, as BBC opts not to live-stream set

Kneecap led Glastonbury crowds in chants of 'f*** Keir Starmer' during their set at the English festival on Saturday. The Belfast group has been in the headlines after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence in a London court . As he took to the stage, Mo Chara said: 'Glastonbury, I'm a free man.' In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and prime minister Keir Starmer said their performance would not be 'appropriate'. READ MORE Member Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who performs under the name Móglaí Bap, said: 'The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.' [ Kneecap's Mo Chara appears on stage with tape over mouth after terrorism charge Opens in new window ] Ó hAnnaidh, 27, wore a keffiyeh during the set, while member JJ Ó Dochartaigh, who performs under the name DJ Próvaí, wore his signature tri-coloured balaclava as well as a T-shirt that said: 'We are all Palestine Action' in reference to the soon-to-be banned campaign group. News broadcasts criticising the hip hop trio that played from the sound system before they walked onto the stage were booed by the Glastonbury Festival audience. The trio opened with the song Better Way To Live from their 2024 album Fine Art and also performed tracks including 3Cag and Hood. Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed around 45 minutes before their performance after groups of fans arrived to form a sea of Irish and Palestinian flags. Rap punk duo Bob Vylan performed on the stage before Kneecap and led the crowd in chants of 'Free, free Palestine' and 'Death, death to the IDF'. Earlier on Saturday, the BBC confirmed it would not be live-streaming the Kneecap set but said the performance would likely be made available on-demand later. 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.' Ó hAnnaidh was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hizbullah , while saying 'up Hamas , up Hizbullah' at a gig last November. On June 18th, the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Ó Cairealláin and Ó Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on August 20th. Ahead of the group's performance, Gemma Gibson (41), from Newcastle, said she was 'really excited' to see Kneecap perform. Asked if their set should have been cancelled due to the controversy, she said: 'Well, that would be completely against everything that Glastonbury stands for… This is where they should be.' Festival-goer Greg Robertson (30) said: 'I don't think politicians should really have too much of an impact on a weekend where everyone's trying to have fun and trying to maybe create a more optimistic future.' Sara Majid (29) said she liked what Kneecap stood for. 'I'm intrigued by them,' she said. Irish singer CMAT , who played the Pyramid Stage on Friday, performed a secret set at the BBC Introducing stage on Saturday. Neil Young , best known for songs such as Rockin' In The Free World, Like A Hurricane and Cinnamon Girl, will headline the Pyramid Stage on Saturday night with his band the Chrome Hearts. The BBC will broadcast Young's set after previously saying it would not be shown 'at the artist's request'. - PA/Reuters

Have you ever attended Glastonbury Festival?
Have you ever attended Glastonbury Festival?

The Journal

timean hour ago

  • The Journal

Have you ever attended Glastonbury Festival?

IT'S A BUSY weekend across the western side of the globe: in Hungary, there is the prohibited Pride festival taking place in the streets of the capital city; Dublin played host to its own Pride festival, as have other towns and cities across the country; and at Glastonbury Festival in England, Irish rap group Kneecap are prowling the West Holts stage. Irish acts are packed into the festival's list of acts. Yesterday, singer CMAT received rave reviews after playing to festival goers from the Pyramid Stage. Kneecap, whose act is not being broadcast on the BBC due to one of its members being charged with a terror offence, have kept their place at the festival despite calls from various English politicians. 'Fuck Keir Starmer,' Mo Chara told attendees this afternoon. So today we're asking you: Have you ever attended Glastonbury Festival? Poll Results: No (863) No interest (305) I haven't, but I plan to (162) Yes, several times (102) Yes, once (87) Yes, several times Yes, once No I haven't, but I plan to No interest Vote

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