Kneecap rapper hits back at criticism ahead of Glastonbury gig
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the west Belfast trio's appearance at festival would not be 'appropriate'
Kneecap's Liam Og O Hannaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, through a crowd of supporters after he appeared charged with a terrorism offence (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
A Kneecap star has hit back at criticism over comments about Palestine – and insisted much of the band's controversial behaviour is often a joke.
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh accused critics of 'scraping the bottom of the barrel' in their opposition to the west Belfast hip-hop trio.
He was speaking in an interview with The Guardian ahead of their Glastonbury appearance this weekend.
Mr Ó hAnnaidh (27), who appeared in court last week charged with a terrorism offence over displaying a flag, responded when asked if the band regretted controversial comments previously made on stage.
The group faced criticism following their appearance at American music festival Coachella where they displayed anti-Israel and pro-Palestine messages.
Footage then resurfaced of gigs from November 2024 and November 2023 respectively, which allegedly showed rapper Mo Chara saying 'Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah' with an alleged Hezbollah flag, and a band member allegedly saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory, kill your local MP.'
Referring to his alleged appearance on stage with a Hezbollah flag, over which the rapper is facing terrorism charges, Mr Ó hAnnaidh said: 'It's a joke. I'm a character. S*** is thrown on stage all the time. If I'm supposed to know every f***ing thing that's thrown on stage.
'I don't know every proscribed organisation – I've got enough s*** to worry about up there. I'm thinking about my next lyric, my next joke, the next drop of a beat.'
Ó hAnnaidh then went on to defend his controversial 'dead Tory' comments, for which Kneecap apologised, saying: 'Why should I regret it? It was a joke'.
Kneecap's Liam Og O Hannaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, through a crowd of supporters after he appeared charged with a terrorism offence (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
'Kneecap is not the story. Genocide in Gaza is' – Belfast rappers release new video demanding action against Israel
He added that Kneecap's opponents 'went and combed through eight years of a career… they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel', saying that they 'took those videos out of context'.
The group have claimed that their pro-Palestine stance has made them the victim of widespread scrutiny, with the rapper adding: 'The point is, that video wasn't an issue until we said 'Free Palestine' at Coachella'.
At Mr Ó hAnnaidh's appearance in Westminster Magistrates Court last week, thousands of fans joined in chants of 'Free, Free Palestine' and 'Free Mo Chara' as he arrived wearing a traditional Palestinian Keffiyeh around his neck.
Mr Ó hAnnaidh said he believes the rap group's pro-Palestine stance is drawing crowds to their music.
'The genocide in Palestine is a big reason we're getting such big crowds at our gigs, because we are willing to put that message out there," he added.
He claims that mainstream media has tried to 'suppress that idea about the struggle in Palestine'.
He added: 'We knew exactly that this (criticism) was going to happen, maybe not to the extreme [level] that it has, but we knew that the Israeli lobbyists and the American government weren't going to stand by idly while we spoke to thousands of young Americans who agree with us.
'They don't want us coming to the American festivals, because they don't want videos of young Americans chanting 'free Palestine' [even though] that is the actual belief in America. They just want to suppress it.'
Kneecap are due to play Glastonbury's West Holts stage at 4pm on Saturday.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last week that their performance would not be 'appropriate'.
But Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis said that 'everyone is welcome' at the festival: '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.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
20 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Great news for sports fans as booze ads ban AXED sparing fans a ticket price hike and boosting investment in grassroots
PLANS to ban alcohol sponsorship at sporting events have been axed — sparing fans ticket price hikes, The Sun can reveal. Health Secretary football , rugby and tennis chiefs. Advertisement 2 Adverts like David Beckham's for Stella Artois would have been banned under the proposals Credit: Stella Artois. The Premier League agreed a four-year mega-deal with Guinness last season while ABK Beer backs October's Rugby League Ashes . Dropping the 'nanny state' ban will also boost grassroots sport, as cash trickles down from the elite levels. One senior Tory said: 'Sponsorship helps keep football tickets affordable and grassroots sports alive. 'You don't drive harmful drinking down by banning adverts, you just hit fans in the pocket.' Advertisement READ MORE ON SPORT However, partial restrictions on alcohol ads will form part of a ten-year NHS plan out next week, it is believed. They may be outlawed before the 9pm watershed in line with junk food and drink as ministers try to tackle growing health problems. Junk food ads are to be banned between 5.30pm and 9pm from October. We told yesterday that more than half of Labour voters opposed an ads ban by meddling ministers. Advertisement Most read in Sport Fury as cost of 12-pack of beer set to soar by £1 thanks to sinister new tax brought in by Labour 2 Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ruled out barring booze firms from sporting events Credit: Getty
The Journal
38 minutes ago
- The Journal
'She has it all': CMAT's 'spectacular' Glastonbury set has the energy of a headliner, say rave reviews
CMAT'S GLASTONBURY PERFORMANCE is set to catapult her career into another universe, according to rave reviews from critics of the festival. The 29-year-old musician, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, played songs from her back catalogue as well as new singles, including Take A Sexy Picture Of Me, from her forthcoming third studio album Euro-Country. Plenty of festivalgoers could be seen doing the viral dance to the song, which has taken social media by storm in recent months. The energetic singer chanted 'Free Palestine' and waded into the Pyramid Stage crowd, who were dancing in the midday heat, during her Glastonbury Festival set today. CMAT began her performance by pretending to faint before singing the first verse of Have Fun Alamy Alamy The Guardian described her as a 'spectacularly brilliant' performer , speculating that this show could pave the way for an even bigger surge in her popularity. There was a 'rapturous reaction' to her set. 'When she successfully encourages the audience to engage in synchronised dance moves to I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!, she looks quite startled at what a crowd this size enthusiastically dancing in unison looks like,' The Guardian writes. 'It's all incredibly engaging and preposterously good fun. It really doesn't seem inconceivable that she could be headlining the next time she returns. Advertisement Alamy Alamy Introducing herself, she told crowds: 'My name is CMAT and I'm literally just a young one from Dunboyne/Dublin, depending who you ask.' 'This is the scariest moment of my life but it will probably singlehandedly be the best and most amazing thing I'll ever do,' she added. The Rolling Stones said CMAT 'has it all' and will be one of the defining artists of 2025. 'Her songs are catchy, poignant and well-crafted; on stage, she's a powerhouse of performance, cracking gags and diving into the crowd, but not forgetting to make her final statement a call for a free Palestine. 'It's rare that a standout set, unlikely to be beaten for the whole weekend, arrives so early on the Friday afternoon at Worthy Farm, but the Irish singer is on a roll of stunning momentum right now.' Alamy Alamy The Independent called it a 'note-perfect, high camp' set , which will 'be a launch pad for the next chapter of her career'. 'Her crooning and thick scooping vocals cut through the air like a machete, and that larger-than-life presence has a majestic quality to it, emphasised by the impression you get that she absolutely loves what she does. 'By the time she's screaming the final bars of Running/Planning from the floor, splashing a can of water over and flicking it around while headbanging like she's in a Celine Dion video, there's no doubt that we've witnessed someone who has squeezed every last drop of potential from this opportunity.' CMAT released her debut album, If My Wife New I'd Be Dead, in 2022, and followed it up with Mercury Prize-nominated Crazymad, For Me in 2023. Her third studio album is set for release on August 29. With reporting by PA Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Inside Jeff Bezos' $46m wedding with $6m spent on private jet security, $1.8m on wait staff, and $1.6m on roses alone
JEFF Bezos has dropped an incredible $46 million on his luxury Italian wedding, a source involved in the planning for the past seven months has exclusively told The U.S. Sun. For a man worth an eye-watering $220 billion, such an extravagant cost is a mere drop in the Venetian Lagoon where the ' Advertisement 10 Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez leave the Aman hotel in Venice on Thursday Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 10 Final preparations and heightened security measures were seen in Venice ahead of the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Credit: Splash 10 The super yacht Arience owned by american investor Bill Miller is anchored in the lagoon ahead of the expected wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Credit: Reuters But the breakdown of cost to stage the 61 year-old's marriage to They exchanged vows in an amphitheater on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, before enjoying a luxury banquet on the Venetian Island of San Giovanni Evangelista. With the Amazon boss welcoming in a host of A-listers including Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga , Leonardo DiCaprio , Oprah Winfrey , Eva Longoria and Orlando Bloom, absolutely no expense has been spared. The glitzy celebration, which started on Thursday and will rage until Monday, will be fueled by a whopping $2 million spent on the finest wines and champagne. Advertisement Read more on the Bezos wedding The insider said the event took 'months of planning' with the couple wanting 'everything done exactly their way.' 'This is the biggest wedding ever organized,' he told The U.S. Sun. 'Not just because of the money spent, but also due to the extraordinary level of luxury and detail involved.' To help everyone attend in style, uber-rich Bezos splurged a cool $9 million to reserve spots in the marina for anyone arriving by yacht , with another $6 million laid out to cover parking and security for private jets. It promises to be one hell of a party, with 200 of the couple's well-heeled friends waited on hand and foot. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun 'Jeff insisted on covering the cost,' continued the insider, 'he wants everyone to feel fully taken care of, from arrival to departure.' A staff of 150 waiters and waitresses was hired for four days, with the cost of service totaling approximately $1.8 million. The Kardashians are leading the world's A-listers flocking to Venice for Jeff Bezos and his bride Lauren Sanchez's ultra-rich wedding of the century The culinary operation included 20 chefs, each paid $5,000 per day, adding up to $500,000. They were supported by 40 sous chefs and assistants, paid $2,000 per day each, for an additional $400,000 over five days. Advertisement The U.S. Sun has been told the hiring process for staff was extremely competitive. More than 1,500 candidates applied with only the best 150 waiters and waitresses chosen. They were then trained to follow strict service protocols, including limiting interaction with guests while working. The compensation offered was significantly higher than the standard even for large-scale Italian weddings . Bezos and Sanchez painstakingly chose some of the best chefs from Northern Italy and, per the source, approved every detail after a series of interviews and tastings. Advertisement Legendary entertainer Elton John will reportedly be performing alongside a group of Italian musicians—including harpists, cellists, pianists, and guitarists—who were brought in to create a curated 'Venice experience.' The U.S. Sun understands the performers have been instructed to follow a pre-approved playlist created by Sanchez and members of the couple's inner circle. The musical talent was flown in from France , Greece , Lebanon, and South America. The dancers were also carefully chosen—over 2,000 people applied for the roles, and the final group includes professionals from top dance companies in New York , Paris , and Milan Advertisement Improvisation is not permitted. Each musician is being paid $10,000 for the six-day engagement, with total music costs exceeding $1.5 million. 10 Kylie Jenner leaves a hotel ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez on Friday Credit: AP 10 Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian leave the Gritti Palace Hotel on the wedding day of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos with Lauren Sanchez on Friday Credit: AFP 10 US businessman Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump are also among the guests Credit: AFP Advertisement 10 Usher and Tom Brady also flew in for the celebration Credit: AP Entertainment also includes a series of themed dance performances. Fifty professional dancers—25 men and 25 women—were hired for six days of shows, receiving $12,000 each. The performances, choreographed with Sanchez's input, focus on themes of love, family , and success. Several of the mini-shows will feature the couple's children, and one performance will highlight Sanchez's Latin heritage, during which she will participate in two salsa routines alongside the dancers. Advertisement The dancers' costumes were custom-made by Italian designers at a cost of approximately $1 million. The visual presentation of the event was equally elaborate. Decor and setup costs totaled an estimated $4.5 million and included designer furniture, silk coverings for chairs and tables, custom cutlery, and artwork featuring portraits of Bezos and Sanchez. Floral arrangements, consisting of roses in six different colors, added another $1.6 million to the budget. A significant portion of the celebration's expenses went toward wine and spirits, with selections curated to mark the couple's birth years and personal milestones. Advertisement This included 50 bottles of 1964 Petrus Pomerol—the year Bezos was born—at a cost of $151,250, and 20 bottles of 1969 Giacomo Conterno Barolo, from the year of Sanchez's birth, for $29,980. They also ordered 20 magnums of 1961 Dom Pérignon, priced at $25,000 each, totaling $500,000. To accompany those, 20 six-liter bottles of 2003 Dom Pérignon Rosé were brought in at a cost of $399,160. The couple purchased 500 bottles of 1996 Dom Pérignon Brut, one of the most highly regarded vintages of the champagne, for a total of $799,000. Spirits included 15 bottles of Louis XIII Cognac, costing $70,260, and 50 bottles of rare rum priced at $2,750 each, totaling $137,500. 'I've never seen such a high-caliber selection served at a wedding—not even among other billionaires who've hosted events in Venice or elsewhere in Europe ,' admitted the source who has been working on the wedding since December 2024. Advertisement 'This is not only the wedding of the year—it's arguably the biggest wedding of the century. "They've set the bar extremely high. "I wouldn't be surprised if other billionaires now try to outdo it with even more extravagant weddings in the future ." 10 A general view of San Giorgio Maggiore island on the second day of the wedding festivities of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Credit: Reuters Advertisement 10 Jeff Bezos seen smiling ahead of his wedding day in Venice Credit: Splash 10 Guests and staff were seen arriving at the airport in Venice, Italy, ahead of the highly anticipated wedding Credit: Splash
