Inside Kneecap's Glastonbury controversy as band will perform despite axe calls

Daily Mirror

7 hours ago

Kneecap will perform at Glastonbury on Saturday afternoon as they brush off the controversy surrounding them being on the lineup and calls for them to be removed
Irish rap trio Kneecap will be taking to the stage at Glastonbury for their highly anticipated set this weekend, despite multiple calls for them to be axed from the lineup. The group have defiantly said they will continue to perform amid the backlash against them.
It comes after bandmember Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig last year. He appeared in court earlier this month, with the band's scheduled appearance at Glastonbury put in doubt and calls from the Prime Minister for them to be booted off.
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However, Kneecap, which is also made up of Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, will still perform on the West Holts Stage on Saturday. Speaking at court, the band said: "For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on Saturday.
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"If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC. Most importantly: free, free Palestine." Kneecap have dropped out of this year's TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow amid the controversy.
In a statement on social media, Kneecap said: "'Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap can no longer perform at TRNSMT. 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 continued: "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. To try and make up for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday July 8th."
Arrest
In May, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who uses the stage name Mo Chara, was charged over the alleged display of a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London last November.
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The band strongly deny the charges brought against Óg Ó hAnnaidh and said in a lengthy statement that they will "vehemently defend" themselves against what they claimed was "political policing".
The court heard the 27-year-old is "well within his rights" to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident is a "wholly different thing".
Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said: "Of course, support for the one is not the same as support for the other. So the issue in this case, and the reason it has come to court, it centres on the apparent support by Mr Óg Ó hAnnaidh of a proscribed terrorist organisation."
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Óg Ó hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20.
Slot in doubt
Just days after Liam was charged with a terror offence, the band performed at London's Wide Awake Festival. On stage, the group admitted their set very almost got cancelled at the last minute and revealed pressure was mounting on Glastonbury to pull their slot at Worthy Farm.
Liam spoke of his arrest as he told the crowd: "I had an interview with counter terrorism and within a day they charged me. And the reason it was that quick was because Glastonbury is just around the corner, they're trying to silence us."
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"Glastonbury is just around the corner," the group stated before claiming "they're trying to stop" them doing a similar thing to what they did at Coachella. "F**k 'em," one of the trio said to a wild applause from the crowd.
At Coachella, which is often dubbed the US version of Glastonbury, the band displayed banners that read: ' Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people', 'It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes' and 'F*** Israel. Free Palestine'.
Prime Minister's call
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for Kneecap to be pulled from the Glastonbury line-up. Starmer was asked by The Sun if he thinks Kneecap should perform at the annual festival.
He 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."
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch also said she thought the BBC "should not be showing" Kneecap's performance at the festival.
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Badenoch said in an X post: "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 replied to the Prime Minister's comments about them on social media, fuming: 'You know what's 'not appropriate' Keir?! Arming a f*****g genocide… solidarity with [Palestinian Action]."
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Petitions
More than 30 "music industry individuals" are said to have signed a secret letter, calling on Kneecap's Glastonbury appearance to be pulled. DJ Toddla T claimed he had seen a 'private and confidential letter' signed by '30 individuals from within the music industry', who urged Glastonbury organisers to remove Kneecap.
However, the band has received support from 100 other musicians including The Smiths' Johnny Marr who said he respects artists"who use their platform to speak out against injustice" and called for an "end to the atrocities and a free Palestine."
He joins the likes of Fontaines D.C., Lankum, The Pogues, Paul Weller, Pulp, Primal Scream and Massive Attack in showing their support to Kneecap.
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Glastonbury organiser defends Kneecap
Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis has broken her silence surrounding controversial Irish band Kneecap. The group from Belfast hit the headlines after making pro-Palestine comments at Coachella in April after band member, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, was charged with a terror offence for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a London gig in November.
Though Liam has been released on bail, Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said it was "not appropriate" for the Guilty Conscience stars to perform at Glastonbury on the West Holts Stage at 4pm on Saturday. However, giving her opinion on the divisive band, Emily, said "everyone is welcome".
Talking to the BBC as the festival flung open its doors to thousands of revellers today, she was asked: "You are very used to people picking over every aspect of the lineup but the Prime Minister got involved this time, saying it wasn't appropriate for Kneecap to be playing, how have you responded to that?"
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Emily replied: "We haven't responded to that. At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the best festival to the people who want to come here. We're incredibly lucky that so many people want to come to Glastonbury, we have millions of people who want to come."
However, she was then probed: "But it's quite a thing for the Prime Minister to comment, how did you react? How did you feel?"
Looking somewhat irritated, Emily said: "I know, it is, there have been a lot of really heated topics this year, but we remain a platform for many, many artists from all over the world and, you know, everyone is welcome here."