Latest news with #LiamOgOHannaidh
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Kneecap's Glasgow gig pre-sale sells out in SECONDS after TRNSMT axe controversy
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PRE-SALE tickets for Kneecap's Glasgow gig were sold out in SECONDS after their TRNSMT show was cancelled. The Irish rap trio announced last night they will take to the stage at the city's O2 Academy on July 8. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Pre-sale tickets for Kneecap's Glasgow gig sold out in seconds Credit: Reuters 5 The band were axed from the Glasgow Green festival line-up over "safety concerns" Credit: Getty 5 DMKKN2 The O2 academy live music venue in the southside of Glasgow, Scotland, UK Credit: Alamy The Belfast-based band, made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, were axed from the Glasgow Green festival line-up on July 11 over "safety concerns". It comes after Met Police confirmed rapper Liam Og O Hannaidh, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, 27, was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah. The alleged incident unfolded on November 21 last year at the O2 Forum, in Kentish Town, London. They apologised to fans following the decision, and in a bid to "try to make up for it", the band decided to put on a show at the O2 Academy. Pre-sale tickets for the gig went on sale at 10am this morning via their WhatsApp channel. And just after the sale launched, all tickets were snapped up in seconds. In a statement on X, the trio wrote: "The pre-sale sold out in 80 seconds. "New record that - remaining general sale go up Saturday 10am. These will also go in seconds. "Fair f**ks Glasgow." Kneecap are still due to feature at Glastonbury on June 28. Kneecap perform surprise gig in London hours after rapper Liam O'Hanna, 27, charged with terror offence Yesterday's announcement follows growing calls for the group to be banned from playing the Glasgow Green event. They have faced backlash after videos emerged of the self-proclaimed "Republican hoods" urging fans to "kill your local MP" and chanting "The only good Tory is a dead Tory". Kneecap said they could no longer perform at TRNSMT due to safety concerns. In a statement on Facebook, the group wrote: "Due to concerns expressed by the police about safety at the event, Kneecap can no longer perform at TRNSMT. 5 The Irish rap trio's TRNSMT show was cancelled last night Credit: Roddy Scott 5 The band said the pre-sale tickets were sold out in 80 seconds Credit: Getty "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. "To try to make up for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday July 8th. "Pre-sale is tomorrow at 10am in our WhatsApp channel. "General sale is 10am this coming Saturday." A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Any decision on the line up at TRNSMT is for the organisers and there was no prior consultation with Police Scotland before acts were booked. "Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event. "We have also passed on information from the public around safety concerns to allow organisers to make an informed decision on the running of the festival." A spokesperson for TRNSMT 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."
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Kneecap say Glastonbury slot at risk after terrorism charge
DUBAI: The Irish rap group Kneecap said this week that efforts are ongoing to block their appearance at Glastonbury this summer, following a surprise show held just one day after one of their members was charged with a terrorism-related offence. During their performance at London's 100 Club on Thursday night, the trio said they were being made a 'scapegoat' because they 'spoke about the genocide (in Gaza)' at Coachella in April. Group member Liam Og O Hannaidh was charged on Wednesday with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in London in November 2024. The rapper performs under the stage name Mo Chara and he is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on June 18. The police force's counter-terrorism command was made aware on April 22 of an online video from the event and then carried out an investigation. After that, the Crown Prosecution Service authorized the charge. The group posted on social media and said in a statement: 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction.' They added: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. 'This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story, genocide is.' Hours after the charge was filed, Kneecap announced a last-minute gig that reportedly sold out in 90 seconds, with 2,000 people on the waiting list. Chara took to the stage at 9 p.m. with tape over his mouth in a symbolic protest. He suggested the timing of the charge was deliberate, saying it came just ahead of their scheduled Glastonbury appearance. He said: 'There's a reason why what's happened to me happened before Glastonbury. There's a reason they're trying to … stop me speaking at Glastonbury in front of the UK.'
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Irish rap trio Kneecap face backlash and cancellations over pro-Palestinian activism
BELFAST, May 23 — Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, Belfast rappers Kneecap court controversy and divide opinion like few contemporary bands. Their combustible turbo-charged music, promotion of the Irish language and championing of the Palestinian cause have powered their popularity in Ireland and gained them legions of fans abroad. But the trio have landed in legal trouble over their alleged support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah, as well as calls for the killing of British parliamentarians. Formed in 2017 by Liam Og O Hannaidh, 27, Naoise O Caireallain, 30, and JJ O Dochartaigh, 34, Kneecap burst onto the scene the same year with the single 'CEARTA' (Irish for 'rights'). The song, released soon after a controversy about rights for Irish language speakers in Northern Ireland, was pulled from a radio show playlist by Irish state broadcaster RTE for its references to drug-taking and swearing. All three band members were raised in Irish — a minority language in Ireland where English dominates — and are fluent speakers. Last year the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictionalised film that won multiple awards including at the prestigious Sundance festival. Partly in Irish as well as English, the movie, laced with music, drugs, and biting satire, also made shortlists for Oscar nominations in the best international feature film and best original song categories. The UK's Independent newspaper gave it top marks, calling it 'a sweary, crude, and brilliantly political Irish comedy'. O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, told AFP as they performed at the Coachella festival in April in California that the group had been surprised by the film's success. For Kneecap, rapping in Irish is an act of resistance: the ancient language was long suppressed, and only became officially recognised in Northern Ireland in 2022. 'Storytelling is such a massive part of Irish culture,' Chara said. 'It's always passed down orally, same as any Indigenous language.' History 'is always written by the winner. That's where hip hop stems from — it's the story of the people who never got to tell their story,' he said. Members of Kneecap pose on the red carpet at the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards in Dublin February 14, 2025. — Reuters pic Provocative Controversy has accompanied Kneecap throughout its journey, with critics accusing the band of glamourising drug culture and militant anti-British Irish republicanism. And O'Hanna has now been charged with a terror offence for allegedly brandishing a Hezbollah flag at a London concert. The band's name recalls the widespread practice by paramilitary groups of shooting victims in the kneecaps and legs in so-called 'punishment' attacks, during Northern Ireland's three-decade-long conflict, known as the Troubles. In the British-governed region, violence between pro-Irish unity and pro-UK militants largely ended after a peace agreement in 1998, but inter-community divisions persist and Kneecap's confrontational imagery and lyrics rankle with some. One of their tracks is titled 'Get Your Brits Out' while on stage the band has led anti-British chants. O'Dochartaigh, a former schoolteacher, wears a paramilitary-style balaclava on stage, in the green, white and orange of the Irish tricolour flag. Kneecap's fierce support for the Palestinian cause, with hardline anti-Israel slogans and chants at their gigs, has drawn fire from further afield. Last month, messages displayed on a screen behind the band as it performed in California at Coachella, one of the world's highest-profile music festivals, included: 'F*** Israel. Free Palestine'. Sharon Osborne, a former UK television presenter, called for their US work visas to be revoked and likened the band to a 'Hamas fan club'. Videos then resurfaced from past London gigs showing chants apparently in support of Hamas and Hezbollah — banned organisations in the UK — and a call to kill UK MPs. The furore forced Kneecap onto the defensive, with a public apology issued to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox, killed in June 2016, and David Amess, stabbed to death in October 2021. The band's members have also repeatedly denied ever having supported Hamas or Hezbollah. The row has raised doubts over a series of European and US concerts the band has scheduled this summer. Several of their gigs have already been cancelled, including three in Germany and one in the UK. The British government called on the organisers of the Glastonbury festival to 'think carefully' about the band's planned appearance there in late June. — AFP
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Kneecap star arrives at show with tape over mouth a day after terror charge
A member of rap group Kneecap arrived at a surprise London performance with tape over his mouth a day after he was charged with a terror offence. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged over the alleged display of a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year, the Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday. O hAnnaidh arrived at the 100 Club on Oxford Street on Thursday in a silver Mercedes and happily posed for a photographer. In videos posted on social media, he could be seen arriving on stage with tape covering his mouth. He then joked about being careful what he said before saying he wanted to thank his lawyer. He said: 'I need to thank my lawyer he's here tonight as well.' The group from Belfast, who rap in the Irish language, announced they would perform at the central London venue on Thursday evening, ahead of their headline slot at Wide Awake Festival in Brockwell Park, south London, on Friday night. Meanwhile, police said they were at the venue to manage visitors to the sold-out event. The Metropolitan Police said: 'A policing plan is in place around tonight's event to ensure it passes off safely. 'This is primarily in terms of managing visitors to the venue for what we understand is a spontaneous and sold-out event. 'There have been no issues or arrests.' At least three officers were seen entering the venue while others were outside. The band said on X that the event sold out in 90 seconds, with 2,000 people on the waiting list. In a post on social media earlier announcing the gig, Kneecap said: 'London. We're back. See you at The 100 Club tonight – tickets on sale in one hour at 4pm.' The post contained a quote from former Sex Pistols singer John Lydon who told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB) 'maybe they need a bloody good kneecapping' in response to the 'kill your MP' footage. O hAnnaidh, 27, was charged by postal requisition and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 18, the Metropolitan Police said. In response to the charge, the group said in a social media statement: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction. 'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? 'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out. 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command were made aware on April 22 of an online video from the event, police said. An investigation led to the Crown Prosecution Service authorising the charge. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police said Kneecap were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. The rap trio have had gigs cancelled after the footage emerged but are still listed to headline Wide Awake. They apologised last month to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'. They also said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK. Conservative Party 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. In 2024, the band released an eponymous film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender which is a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together and follows the Belfast group on their mission to save their mother tongue through music. Formed in 2017, the group – made up of O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh – are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag.
France 24
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Courting controversy, Irish rap trio Kneecap face legal action
Their combustible turbo-charged music, promotion of the Irish language and championing of the Palestinian cause have powered their popularity in Ireland and gained them legions of fans abroad. But the trio have landed in legal trouble over their alleged support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah, as well as calls for the killing of British parliamentarians. Formed in 2017 by Liam Og O Hannaidh, 27, Naoise O Caireallain, 30, and JJ O Dochartaigh, 34, Kneecap burst onto the scene the same year with the single "CEARTA" (Irish for "rights"). The song, released soon after a controversy about rights for Irish language speakers in Northern Ireland, was pulled from a radio show playlist by Irish state broadcaster RTE for its references to drug-taking and swearing. All three band members were raised in Irish -- a minority language in Ireland where English dominates -- and are fluent speakers. Last year the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictionalised film that won multiple awards including at the prestigious Sundance festival. Partly in Irish as well as English, the movie, laced with music, drugs, and biting satire, also made shortlists for Oscar nominations in the best international feature film and best original song categories. The UK's Independent newspaper gave it top marks, calling it "a sweary, crude, and brilliantly political Irish comedy". O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, told AFP as they performed at the Coachella festival in April in California that the group had been surprised by the film's success. For Kneecap, rapping in Irish is an act of resistance: the ancient language was long suppressed, and only became officially recognised in Northern Ireland in 2022. "Storytelling is such a massive part of Irish culture," Chara said. "It's always passed down orally, same as any Indigenous language." History "is always written by the winner. That's where hip hop stems from -- it's the story of the people who never got to tell their story," he said. Provocative Controversy has accompanied Kneecap throughout its journey, with critics accusing the band of glamourising drug culture and militant anti-British Irish republicanism. And O'Hanna has now been charged with a terror offence for allegedly brandishing a Hezbollah flag at a London concert. The band's name recalls the widespread practice by paramilitary groups of shooting victims in the kneecaps and legs in so-called "punishment" attacks, during Northern Ireland's three-decade-long conflict, known as the Troubles. In the British-governed region, violence between pro-Irish unity and pro-UK militants largely ended after a peace agreement in 1998, but inter-community divisions persist and Kneecap's confrontational imagery and lyrics rankle with some. One of their tracks is titled "Get Your Brits Out" while on stage the band has led anti-British chants. O'Dochartaigh, a former schoolteacher, wears a paramilitary-style balaclava on stage, in the green, white and orange of the Irish tricolour flag. Kneecap's fierce support for the Palestinian cause, with hardline anti-Israel slogans and chants at their gigs, has drawn fire from further afield. Last month, messages displayed on a screen behind the band as it performed in California at Coachella, one of the world's highest-profile music festivals, included: "Fuck Israel. Free Palestine". Sharon Osborne, a former UK television presenter, called for their US work visas to be revoked and likened the band to a "Hamas fan club". Videos then resurfaced from past London gigs showing chants apparently in support of Hamas and Hezbollah -- banned organisations in the UK -- and a call to kill UK MPs. The furore forced Kneecap onto the defensive, with a public apology issued to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox, killed in June 2016, and David Amess, stabbed to death in October 2021. The band's members have also repeatedly denied ever having supported Hamas or Hezbollah. The row has raised doubts over a series of European and US concerts the band has scheduled this summer. Several of their gigs have already been cancelled, including three in Germany and one in the UK. The British government called on the organisers of the Glastonbury festival to "think carefully" about the band's planned appearance there in late June.
