Daughter of murdered MP 'more than willing' to meet Kneecap
Katie Amess, daughter of murdered Conservative MP Sir David Amess, has said she would be 'willing' to meet members of Irish rap group Kneecap, stating that the trio needs 're-education' after their remarks during recent performances.
The Belfast-based group sparked outrage after video footage surfaced of them allegedly telling a crowd, 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' In another clip, they appeared to chant 'Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah' to concertgoers.
The Metropolitan Police are now reviewing the videos to assess whether further investigation is warranted.
Kneecap later posted a statement online, distancing themselves from Hamas and Hezbollah, condemning violence against civilians, and offering apologies to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and David Amess. 'We send our heartfelt apologies. We never intended to cause you hurt,' the statement read. View this post on Instagram
A post shared by KNEECAP (@kneecap32)
However, for Katie Amess, a social media post wasn't enough. Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast on Thursday, she criticised the group for not reaching out directly.
'A public statement online really isn't going to cut it,' she said. 'They didn't actually contact us, we haven't heard from them directly. If someone hadn't sent me the post, I might never have seen it.' Kneecap Pic: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu via Getty Images
Amess questioned the band's claims that their comments were taken out of context. 'What they said – verbatim – was, 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' I don't see how that could be misinterpreted.'
Despite her deep upset, she expressed a willingness to meet the band in person.
'If they want to meet face to face, to hear what it's like to be a victim of this kind of violence and how distressing it is to hear that sort of rhetoric, I'd be more than willing,' she said. 'They need re-education, this kind of incitement is beyond stupidity.' Murdered Conservative MP Sir David Amess. Pic: Shutterstock
Several music festivals have since pulled Kneecap from their lineups, a move Katie Amess supports.
'They're not the victims here,' she said. 'The victims are people who've experienced political violence. The police need to investigate whether anyone was incited to act, how many people heard it, and whether there are wider implications.
'This should go through the justice system, it's a serious matter.'
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