Latest news with #MoglaiBap
Arab News
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Kneecap voices support for Palestine during Oslo performance
DUBAI: Irish rap group Kneecap continued to voice their stance on the war in Gaza during their performance in Oslo, Norway, on Friday. Just before the trio— Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai — took the stage, a message in white text on a black background appeared on a video screen, accusing the Norwegian government of 'enabling' the 'genocide' against Palestinians through investments in the country's sovereign wealth fund, referring to it as the 'oil pension fund.' 'Over 80,000 people have been murdered by Israel in 21 months,' the band's message continued, 'Free Palestine.' The message was received with cheers from the audience. A post shared by Clang (@clangmag) Kneecap has supported the Palestinian cause throughout the war in Gaza. The band has been the center of controversy in Britain since last year, when the previous government sought to block an arts grant for the band, citing its anti-British politics. That decision was overturned after the Labour Party won last year's parliamentary election and Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office. Last month, the group was banned from entering Hungary for three years over accusations of antisemitism. They were due to perform at the Sziget Festival on Aug. 11. Kneecap said in a statement that their ban was a 'further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people.' At Glastonbury Festival this year, Chara accused Israel of committing war crimes against the Palestinians. More than 150 Hungarian artists and musicians signed a petition against Kneecap playing at Sziget. But festival organizers said that the government's ban was 'both unnecessary and regrettable,' adding the group had 'reassured us that their performance would not contravene either Sziget's values or Hungarian law.'
Evening Standard
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Kneecap at Finsbury Park: 'infamy doesn't weigh heavily on them'
'If anybody is free on the 20th August, go to the court and support Mo Chara', says Moglai Bap, before chants of 'free Mo Chara' erupt from the crowd. 'There's nothing like embarrassing the British Government…you can never beat the Irish!' he adds. What follows is Guilty Conscience, a song with a chorus about masturbation, but Mo Chara is quick to follow a moment of levity with an impassioned speech about the importance of continuing to speak about the Palestinian people. 'It's something we all care about and sometimes it feels helpless because there's nothing we can do, but what's important right now is there's gonna be videos going around Gaza and the West Bank, and morale is a huge thing…we're on the right side of history, lads.'
The Herald Scotland
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Kate Nash says she would love to collaborate with Kneecap
The group are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise, as well as their championing of the Irish language and support for Palestine. 'I love Kneecap. I'd love to collaborate. I love collaboration, actually,' Nash told the PA news agency. 'I really, really think collaboration is such an amazing and important part of being an artist, because you just learn every time you collaborate with someone different. 'So I just did a duet with Sprints, because they covered Foundations, and that was really fun.' Nash, 37, added: 'Kneecap would be amazing to collaborate with. My mum's from Dublin and I think that the way they use their political platform is really important.' She continued: 'I don't think English people really understand their (Ireland's) history at all, they just don't know it. 'So I think there's an opportunity to educate people about England and Ireland's history, and sort of being half-English, half-Irish myself I have quite a good understanding of that, but I didn't learn it at school. Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap (Ben Birchall/PA) 'There's so many amazing musicians to collaborate with. I love Amyl And The Sniffers.' Before their performance on the West Holts Stage, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said their performance would not be 'appropriate'. During their set, member Naoise O Caireallain said: 'The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.' In reference to his bandmate's upcoming court date the rapper, who performs under the name Moglai Bap, said they would 'start a riot outside the courts', before clarifying: 'No riots, just love and support, and support for Palestine.' Bobby Vylan, of rap duo Bob Vylan, had earlier led crowds in chants of 'Free, free Palestine' and 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)'. According to reports, Bobby Vylan is called Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, from Ipswich. Robinson-Foster is listed on Companies House as being the director of Ghost Theatre Records, which is operated by Bob Vylan. Sir Keir said the latter chant was 'appalling hate speech' and urged the BBC to explain how the scenes were broadcast. Speaking on the politics of Glastonbury, Nash said: 'What's the history of Glastonbury? It's about anti-corporation, Greenpeace. 'It is ultimately a political festival, and people come here to find togetherness, community, a sense of hope and to watch people play amazing shows, and to have their lives changed, to be inspired. 'I think that we're seeing a lot of really scary things in the world right now, and people want to feel like they can see what they feel on stage being voiced, and I think that politicians need to get a grip.' Asked about artists who say they do not want to be political, she said: 'Certain people, you can't escape the politics of existing in the world. 'If you are a woman and you're like, 'I'm not political', I'm like, 'You are, you are. Everything about your life is political, whether you want it to be or not'. 'I think if you're a very privileged, white, rich man, sure you don't want to be political, or you don't have to be. 'But also, do you even have to comment that you don't want to be? I'm not really sure it helps. 'I think just don't be, then, in a way, if you just want to be a pop band, just be a pop band. 'That's not how I was raised. So it's really difficult for me to understand somebody saying, 'I don't want to be political'.' It came after The 1975 frontman Matty Healy said the band did not want their legacy to be 'one of politics' during their Friday night headline slot. 'I think we don't need more politics, we need more love and friendship,' he said. Nash headlined Glastonbury's Left Field stage on Saturday evening and performed a secret set on the BBC Introducing stage on Sunday. She has released several studio albums and is known for songs including Mouthwash and Foundations, the latter of which peaked at number two in the UK singles chart.
The Herald Scotland
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Wes Streeting says chants of ‘death to the IDF' at Glastonbury were ‘appalling'
As police examine videos of their comments, Mr Streeting told Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: 'I thought it's appalling, to be honest, and I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens.' The Health Secretary said what people should be talking about in the context of Israel and Gaza is the humanitarian catastrophe and the fact that Israeli settlers attacked a Christian village this week. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the BBC and the festival have 'questions to answer' (Lucy North/PA) He added: 'The fact that we saw that chant at a music festival, when there were Israelis at a similar music festival who were kidnapped, murdered, raped, and in some cases still held captive, whether it's a Palestinian or an Israeli, whether it's a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim, all life is precious. 'All life is sacred. And I find it pretty revolting we've got to a state in this conflict where you're supposed to sort of cheer on one side or the other like it's a football team.' Asked if the BBC should have cut the live feed, he said the broadcaster has questions to answer, but that he did not know what the editorial and operational 'challenges' are of taking such action. Avon and Somerset Police said video evidence would be assessed by officers 'to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation'. Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival (Ben Birchall/PA) On social media, the Israeli Embassy said it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the scenes 'grotesque', writing on X: 'Glorifying violence against Jews isn't edgy. The West is playing with fire if we allow this sort of behaviour to go unchecked.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. 'During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.' Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has spoken to the BBC director general about Bob Vylan's performance, a Government spokesperson said. Kneecap, who hail from Belfast, have been in the headlines after member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. In reference to his bandmate's forthcoming court date, Naoise O Caireallain, who performs under the name Moglai Bap, said they would 'start a riot outside the courts', before clarifying: 'No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine'. In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for the group to be removed from the line-up and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said their performance would not be 'appropriate'. During the performance, Caireallain said: 'The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.' He also said a 'big thank you to the Eavis family' and said 'they stood strong' amid calls for the organisers to drop them from the line-up.
The Independent
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Kneecap and Bob Vylan comments at Glastonbury investigated by police
Police are assessing videos of comments made by Bob Vylan and Kneecap at Glastonbury to decide whether any offences may have been committed. In a post on social media Avon and Somerset Police said: 'We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon. 'Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.' The videos being assessed are understood to include footage of punk duo Bob Vylan and Irish rap trio Kneecap. The punk duo performed on the stage before Kneecap and led the crowd in chants of: 'Free, free Palestine' and: 'Death, death to the IDF'. During Kneecap's set, band member Naoise O Caireallain, who performs under the name Moglai Bap, said: 'The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.' The band also led crowds in chants of: 'Free Palestine'.
