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Kneecap pull out of TRNSMT festival over police concerns

Kneecap pull out of TRNSMT festival over police concerns

Yahoo28-05-2025

Irish rap group Kneecap have pulled out of the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow over police concerns about safety.
Police Scotland said last week that allowing the trio to perform at Glasgow Green on 11 July would require "a significant policing operation".
It followed a member of the Irish language group being charged with a terror offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a London gig.
The Belfast trio were also criticised over 2023 gig footage that appeared to show a band member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."
Kneecap at TRNSMT would need 'significant' police operation
Kneecap member charged with terror offence
The group are still due to perform at the Glastonbury festival, where they are listed on the lineup for Saturday 28 June.
Kneecap released a statement saying that, to make up for the TRNSMT cancellation, they would be putting on a new show at Glasgow's O2 Academy on Tuesday 8 July.
The band 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.
"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."
TRNSMT promoters DF Concerts said: "Due to concerns expressed by the police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday, 11 July.
"We thank fans for their understanding."
Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, has been charged by the Metropolitan Police after an incident on 21 November 2024 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London.
Mr Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 18 June.
Officers from the Met's counter terrorism command were made aware on 22 April of an online video from the event.
Belfast man Mr Ó hAnnaidh has been charged under the name Liam O'Hanna.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney had backed calls for Kneecap to be axed from the TRNSMT lineup over their "kill your local Tory" comment.
The have have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox.
A Police Scotland spokesperson previously said any decision on who performs at TRNSMT was for the organisers to make.
Swinney calls for Kneecap to be axed from TRNSMT festival
Kneecap 'kill MP' footage being assessed by police

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