Northern Irish rap group accuse UK authorities of political policing and censorship over Gaza activism.
Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap have accused UK authorities of launching a “witch-hunt” against them in an effort to silence political dissent ahead of their anticipated performance at Glastonbury Festival. The explosive allegation came just one day after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known on stage as Mo Chara, was charged with a terrorism offence linked to the alleged display of a Hezbollah-supporting flag during a London concert last November.
The charge, which Kneecap strongly deny, landed just weeks after the band made headlines at California’s Coachella festival for condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza. On Thursday evening, the group staged a surprise sold-out gig at London’s 100 Club, where Ó hAnnaidh appeared on stage with tape over his mouth—delivering a powerful silent protest.
“There’s a reason this is happening now, right before Glastonbury,” Ó hAnnaidh told the crowd, removing the tape to speak. “They’re trying to fucking stop me speaking in front of the UK.” His bandmates echoed the sentiment, claiming that the timing of the charge was no coincidence and accusing police of “political policing.”
“They want to stop what we’re doing because they want us to stop protesting,” added Móglaí Bap, real name Naoise Ó Cairealláin. “There’s over 60,000 dead in Gaza. That’s the real story. It’s not about us.”
At Coachella on 18 April, Kneecap’s performance featured bold political messages flashing across screens: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people” and chants of “Free, free Palestine” reverberating from the crowd. The band now believe their outspoken support for Palestinian civilians has made them a target.
In a fiery statement before Thursday’s gig, Kneecap slammed the charge as a “politically motivated” attempt to curtail their ability to travel and speak freely on international stages. “It’s not even serious enough for crown court—just a court with no jury,” they said. “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.”
The concert’s poster included a controversial quote from former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, who recently said the band “need a bloody good kneecapping,” fuelling further outrage and media attention.
The controversy surrounding Kneecap extends beyond Thursday’s charge. A resurfaced video from November 2023 showed one of the members allegedly shouting, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” The comments drew sharp condemnation from Brendan Cox, widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, and Katie Amess, daughter of murdered MP David Amess.
In response, Kneecap issued a formal apology, stating: “To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt,” while asserting the footage had been taken out of context.
Festival organisers across Europe have begun cutting ties. The band have already been dropped from Germany’s Hurricane and Southside festivals, as well as UK shows at the Eden Project and Plymouth Pavilions. Still, Kneecap remain on the bill for several major UK events, including a headline slot at Wide Awake Festival in Brockwell Park, South London, on Friday night. No additional cancellations have been confirmed since the charge against Ó hAnnaidh.
Despite mounting pressure from MPs calling for their removal from other festival line-ups—including Glastonbury and TRNSMT—the group appears defiant. “We’re not the story,” Ó hAnnaidh insisted. “They’re using us as a scapegoat not to talk about the real fucking issue.”
As the political and cultural storm swells, the Belfast-born Irish-language rap trio seem more determined than ever to turn up the volume—on music, on protest, and on what they call an orchestrated attempt to silence dissent.
