Latest news with #Amess
Irish Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Kneecap's manager says rap trio ‘happy to meet' and apologise to family of murdered MP
Kneecap 's manager has said the rap trio are 'happy to meet' the daughter of murdered MP David Amess. The rap group apologised to the families of Mr Amess and Labour MP Jo Cox in April after footage emerged from a gig allegedly showing one member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' Katie Amess said she was 'absolutely heartbroken' after seeing the clip, from a performance in November 2023, because it 'brought back so much pain and upset', and called for the group to 'take full accountability' before being allowed to perform on stage. She said she would be willing to meet the group and tell them how her life has been 'obliterated' by her father's death. READ MORE [ Kneecap controversy: what have the west Belfast rappers done now? Opens in new window ] The group's manager, Daniel Lambert, told The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk: 'The lads are happy to talk to that lady. 'The lads are happy to meet with that lady. The lads are happy to apologise to that lady.' Ms Amess has urged a 'thorough investigation to determine the full extent of any criminal activity' and said it 'is imperative that individuals and groups are held accountable for their words and actions that incite violence and hatred'. Lambert suggested that the footage emerged because the group criticised Israel over the conflict in Gaza during their performances at Coachella in the US. He told the radio show: 'You've got to focus on this. Why has this emerged? And I've said this on several radio shows already. Kneecap went to Coachella and Kneecap said at Coachella, facts. Facts about what happened (in Gaza).' He added: 'And you know what happened as a response? All of this.' Earlier this week, Brendan Cox, whose wife Ms Cox was murdered in 2016, called Kneecap's statement 'only half an apology'. Counter-terrorism officers are investigating the footage from November 2023 as well as another piece of footage from November 2024 that appears to show one of them shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. The band posted a statement online saying they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in the UK. Jewish groups and MPs, as well as former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, have called for them to be dropped from the Glastonbury line-up, while Kneecap have claimed footage of the incident has been 'exploited and weaponised'. On Friday, Kneecap teased new music and posted an image on X and Instagram of one of them wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh patterned scarf, saying: 'New track coming soon….stay tuned…lock down your aerial.' On Thursday, the Met Police said they were made 'aware' in April of two lots of footage from November 2023 and 2024, and the force's Counter Terrorism Command would be investigating . A statement said: 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos.' Artists including CMAT, Massive Attack, The Pogues, Brian Eno, Pulp, Paul Weller, former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac and Primal Scream have defended the band. They signed a statement saying there is a 'clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' Kneecap, while claiming that politicians are 'strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band' while ignoring a 'genocide' in Gaza. After the footage emerged, members of Kneecap, who go by the names Moglai Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Provai, saw their performance at the Eden Project in Cornwall axed, while ticket websites for three gigs in Germany said the shows in the country had been cancelled. The Eden Project performance was moved to Plymouth Pavilions, but that concert was also scrapped. Hours later, music venue The Depo, also based in Plymouth, announced it would be holding three Kneecap gigs at the beginning of July. Festivals in the Netherlands, Paradiso Festival in Amsterdam, and Czech Republic's Rock for People have said they are assessing the situation. Kneecap, made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, formed in 2017 and are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language. - PA
BreakingNews.ie
02-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Kneecap's manager says rap trio ‘happy to meet' David Amess' daughter
Kneecap's manager has said the rap trio are 'happy to meet' the daughter of murdered MP David Amess. The hip-hop group apologised to the families of Mr Amess and Labour MP Jo Cox in April after footage emerged from a gig allegedly showing one member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' Advertisement Katie Amess said she was 'absolutely heartbroken' after seeing the clip, from a performance in November 2023, because it 'brought back so much pain and upset', and called for the group to 'take full accountability' before being allowed to perform on stage. She said she would be willing to meet the group and tell them how her life has been 'obliterated' by her father's death. DJ Provai of Kneecap (Niall Carson/PA) The group's manager, Daniel Lambert, told The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk: 'The lads are happy to talk to that lady. 'The lads are happy to meet with that lady. The lads are happy to apologise to that lady.' Advertisement Ms Amess has urged a 'thorough investigation to determine the full extent of any criminal activity' and said it 'is imperative that individuals and groups are held accountable for their words and actions that incite violence and hatred'. Lambert suggested that the footage emerged because the group criticised Israel over the conflict in Gaza during their performances at Coachella in the US. He told the radio show: 'You've got to focus on this. Why has this emerged? And I've said this on several radio shows already. Kneecap went to Coachella and Kneecap said at Coachella, facts. Facts about what happened (in Gaza).' He added: 'And you know what happened as a response? All of this.' Advertisement Earlier this week, Brendan Cox, whose wife Ms Cox was murdered in 2016, called Kneecap's statement 'only half an apology'. Counter-terrorism officers are investigating the footage from November 2023 as well as another piece of footage from November 2024 that appears to show one of them shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. New track coming down your aerial 📻 — KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) May 2, 2025 The Belfast group posted a statement online saying they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in the UK. Jewish groups and MPs, as well as former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, have called for them to be dropped from the Glastonbury line-up, while Kneecap have claimed footage of the incident has been 'exploited and weaponised'. Advertisement On Friday, Kneecap teased new music and posted an image on X of one of them wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh patterned scarf, saying: 'New track coming soon….stay tuned…lock down your aerial.' On Thursday, the Met Police said they were made 'aware' in April of two lots of footage from November 2023 and 2024, and the force's Counter Terrorism Command would be investigating. A statement said: 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos.' Artists including CMAT, Massive Attack, The Pogues, Brian Eno, Pulp, Paul Weller, former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac and Primal Scream have defended the band. Advertisement They signed a statement saying there is a 'clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' Kneecap, while claiming that politicians are 'strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band' while ignoring a 'genocide' in Gaza. Kneecap performing at the SSE Arena in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) After the footage emerged, members of Kneecap, who go by the names Moglai Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Provai, saw their performance at the Eden Project in Cornwall axed, while ticket websites for three gigs in Germany said the shows in the country had been cancelled. The Eden Project performance was moved to Plymouth Pavilions, but that concert was also scrapped. Ireland Gerry Adams tells trial he does not remember how m... Read More Hours later, music venue The Depo, also based in Plymouth, announced it would be holding three Kneecap gigs at the beginning of July. Festivals in the Netherlands, Paradiso Festival in Amsterdam, and Czech Republic's Rock for People have said they are assessing the situation. Kneecap, made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, formed in 2017 and are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language.
Irish Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Kneecap controversy: dozens of music acts come out in support of Belfast group
Dozens of Irish and UK music acts have signed an open letter in support of Kneecap , the Belfast rap group at the centre of controversy this week. Kneecap is being investigated by counterterrorism police in the UK following videos allegedly showing members calling for the deaths of British MPs and shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hizbullah'. In the open letter , the group's record label, Heavenly Recordings, said there had been a 'clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' the band. Paul Weller, Christy Moore, Primal Scream, Damien Dempsey and Annie Macmanus (DJ Annie Mac) are among the artists who signed the letter. READ MORE 'Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story,' the letter notes. 'And the silence, acquiescence and support of those crimes against humanity by the elected British Government is the real story. 'Solidarity with all artists with the moral courage to speak out against Israeli war crimes, and the ongoing persecution and slaughter of the Palestinian people.' A number of Kneecap's gigs have been cancelled and UK ministers have sought to put pressure on Glastonbury's organisers to halt the band's performance at the festival in June. [ Westminster never forgets its murdered MPs - which is why Kneecap's comments could not be overlooked Opens in new window ] In a statement posted on Instagram, Massive Attack also came to Kneecap's defence. 'If senior politicians can find neither the time, nor the words to condemn, say, the murder of 15 voluntary aid workers in Gaza, or the illegal starvation of a civilian population as a method of warfare, or the killing of thousands and thousands of children in the same territory, by a state in possession of the highest precision weapons on earth; how much notice should a music festival take of their moral advice on booking performing acts?' the band wrote. Massive Attack added that language 'of course' matters. 'The hideous murders of elected politicians Jo Cox and David Amess means there's no scope for flippancy or recklessness. 'But do politicians and right-wing journalists strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band, while simultaneously obfuscating or even ignoring a genocide happening in real time (including the killing of journalists in unprecedented numbers) have any right to intimidate festival events into acts of political censorship?' Footage from a November 2023 concert appears to show a member of Kneecap saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' In a statement on Monday, Kneecap expressed their 'heartfelt apologies' to the families of Mr Amess, a Conservative MP who was murdered in 2021, and Ms Cox, a Labour MP who was murdered in 2016. However, the Amess and Cox families said the band's statement did not go far enough and called for a fuller apology. In the statement, Kneecap said its members did not support Hamas or Hizbullah, or condone violence. The band said they had been subjected to a 'smear campaign' because of their vocal support of Palestine.
Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Counter-terror police launch investigation into Kneecap over ‘kill your MP' video
The Belfast rap trio has had several gigs cancelled after footage appeared to show one of them shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" in November last year. Video from November 2023 also appeared to show one member of the group saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." The group apologised on Monday to the families of murdered MPs but claimed footage of the incident had been "exploited and weaponised", while they also said they have "never supported" Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in the UK. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Kneecap to be banned while other politicians pushed for the group to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival line-up. On Thursday, the Met Police said: "On April 22, we were made aware of an online video believed to be from a music event in London in November 2024. "Following this, we were made aware of a further video, believed to be from another music event in London in November 2023. "Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos. "The investigation is now being carried out by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and inquiries remain ongoing at this time." In a statement posted on Instagram on Monday, the group, comprising Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, addressed the families of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox, saying "we never intended to cause you hurt", and that they "reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual". It added: "Kneecap's message has always been - and remains - one of love, inclusion, and hope. This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our gigs. No smear campaign will change that." ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Brendan Cox, whose wife was murdered in 2016, called the statement "only half an apology" in an interview with BBC Radio Ulster. He said the band did not grapple "enough with the gravity" of what they had allegedly said. The daughter of Mr Amess, who was stabbed to death in 2021, suggested the trio had been "badly advised". Katie Amess said the statement was "deflection and excuses and gaslighting", and that it would be "very dangerous" for the group to perform at Glastonbury. Following the investigation being launched, she also said their "rhetoric is not only abhorrent but poses a direct threat to the safety and well-being of elected officials and the democratic institutions they represent". Ms Amess urged a "thorough investigation to determine the full extent of any criminal activity" and said it "is imperative that individuals and groups are held accountable for their words and actions that incite violence and hatred". In a joint statement, artists including Pulp, Paul Weller, former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac and Primal Scream have defended the band, and said there is a "clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform" Kneecap. It said politicians are "strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band" while ignoring a "genocide" in Gaza, following the band calling attention to the war at Coachella. Elsewhere, former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne said the group should be banned from the Glastonbury line-up. "I pray that they are [banned]. And if they're not, shame on Glastonbury, because Glastonbury, again, is for peace", she told Piers Morgan Uncensored. Meanwhile, their scheduled performance at the Eden Project in Cornwall has been axed, while ticket websites for three gigs in Germany said the shows in the country have been cancelled. After their Cornwall gig was cancelled, Kneecap, who go by the names Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Próvaí, announced they would be playing in Plymouth on the date they were due to play at the Eden Project. On Thursday, a note on the Plymouth Pavilions' website said the concert had been scrapped and hours later music venue The Depo, also based in Plymouth, announced it would be holding three Kneecap gigs at the beginning of July. Glastonbury founder Sir Michael Eavis has been encouraged to remove Kneecap from the event by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. "Words and images like this matter - they have an effect - and awarding those who make these statements with a platform to perform risks making these views appear more acceptable and even accepted," Andrew Gilbert, the vice president of the board, said. Festivals in the Netherlands and Czech Republic said they are "monitoring the situation". A spokesperson for Paradiso Festival in Amsterdam said: "We are following the news around Kneecap and are aware of the investigation currently being conducted by the Counter Terrorism Police. "We will see what comes out of that investigation. We will then take the investigation results into consideration and decide if it has consequences for the shows at Paradiso." Rock for People in the Czech Republic said in a statement: "We understand your concerns. We will monitor the situation and will consider next steps." When asked about Kneecap's comment at a launch event for the Live Aid musical, Irish singer Bob Geldof said: "I don't know what they've said, great music, but I don't know what they've said so I can't comment on that." Kneecap have been contacted for comment.
CNN
01-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Counter terror police investigate band Kneecap over controversial videos, as more gigs cancelled
Hip hop Irish trio Kneecap is being investigated by UK counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for politicians to be killed and shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah.' It comes after the group, who are vocal critics of Israel's war in Gaza, came under fire for their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging at the Coachella music festival last month. The British police investigation follows widespread criticism of the band's alleged comments, which led to several of their upcoming gigs being canceled. Some lawmakers are also calling for Glastonbury organizers to drop Kneecap from next month's festival line-up. Meanwhile, dozens of musicians and artists have signed an open letter supporting the group's right to freedom of expression. In recent days, footage has been circulating online that appears to show one of the group's members shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' in November last year. Separately, video from November 2023 appeared to show one member of the group, who are from Northern Ireland, saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' Tory is another word for Conservative, and MP is an abbreviation of Member of Parliament. In the past decade, two British MPs – Jo Cox and David Amess – have been murdered. Kneecap has apologized to the families of Cox and Amess. It said it has never supported Hamas or Hezbollah and that the footage circulating online has been 'deliberately taken out of all context' as part of a 'smear campaign' following their criticism of Israel and the United States in regards to the war in Gaza. London's Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement Thursday that it was aware of the footage and that counter-terrorism officers are investigating. 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos,' the police statement said. Katie Amess, daughter of Conservative lawmaker David Amess, who was fatally stabbed in a 2021 attack while meeting with his constituents, has called Kneecap's rhetoric 'abhorrent.' '(It) poses a direct threat to the safety and well-being of elected officials and the democratic institutions they represent,' she said in a statement provided to the PA Media news agency. Amess commended the action taken by law enforcement and called for those who incite 'violence and hatred' to be held accountable. 'As a society, we must stand united against all forms of extremism and ensure that our public spaces, including artistic and cultural venues, are not exploited to propagate messages of hate,' Amess said. Both videos have been widely circulated online in wake of the band's Coachella set, where they led the crowd to chant 'Free Free Palestine,' criticized Israel's campaign in Gaza – which has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, according to the ministry of health there – and also criticized US support for the war. CNN has reached out to Kneecap's management for comment. Brendan Cox, whose wife was stabbed and shot to death in 2016 by a far-right extremist while meeting with her constituents, told Sky News that the band's apology was 'not enough.' 'What's clear (about the video) is that it wasn't a joke, that it wasn't out of context, that it was incitement to violence against members of parliament,' he said. Cox added that Kneecap's comments 'overstepped the mark in a frankly grotesque way,' putting them on the 'wrong side of people who might agree with them' on issues, such as Gaza and Northern Ireland. Since the videos emerged, a string of the band's scheduled performances have been canceled. The group said on X that it would not be performing at Hurricane or Southside Festival this year – two of Germany's biggest music festivals – and announced three concerts in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne instead, which have since been canceled too. Another concert scheduled to take place at the Eden Project in Cornwall, southwest England, has been canceled. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch told ITV News Wednesday she believes the band should be prosecuted for incitement. 'There are people in jail for saying things that are not as bad as what Kneecap have said… they've been avoiding justice for far too long,' she told the broadcaster. Others have come out in support of the group, with several artists signing an open letter calling out the 'clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' the band. 'In a democracy, no political figures or political parties should have the right to dictate who does and does not play at music festivals or gigs that will be enjoyed by thousands of people,' read the letter, which was signed by musicians including Pulp, Paul Weller and Massive Attack. 'Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story,' wrote the band on X, echoing a separate statement of support from Massive Attack. Kneecap's manager, Daniel Lambert, told Irish broadcaster RTÉ Tuesday that the controversy 'has nothing to do with Kneecap… it's about telling the next young band… that you cannot speak about Palestine.'
