Irish-language rap group Kneecap on Saturday gave an impassioned performance for tens of thousands of fans at the Glastonbury Festival despite criticism by British politicians and a terror charge for one of the trio.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the UK’s Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November last year. The rapper, who was charged under the anglicized version of his name, Liam O’Hanna, is on unconditional bail before a further court hearing in August.
“Glastonbury, I’m a free man,” O hAnnaidh shouted as Kneecap took the stage at Glastonbury’s West Holts field, which holds about 30,000 people.
Photo: AP
Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the capacity crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.
Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members led the audience in chants of “free Palestine” and “free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he did not think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.
The trio thanked festival organizers Michael and Emily Eavis for resisting pressure to cancel Kneecap’s gig and gave a shoutout to Palestine Action, a protest group that the British government plans to ban under terrorism laws after its members vandalized planes on a British Royal Air Force base.
The Belfast trio is known for anarchic energy, satirical lyrics and use of symbolism associated with the Irish republican movement, which seeks to unite Northern Ireland, currently part of the UK, with the Republic of Ireland.
The group has faced criticism for lyrics laden with expletives and drug references, and for political statements, especially since videos emerged allegedly showing the band shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and calling on people to kill lawmakers.
Members of the group say they do not support Hezbollah or Hamas, nor condone violence, and O hAnnaidh said he picked up a flag that was thrown onto the stage without knowing what it represented.
Kneecap has accused critics of trying to silence the band because of its support for the Palestinian cause throughout the war in Gaza.
A performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April, where the band accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians, enabled by the US government, sparked calls for the rappers’ US visas to be revoked.
Several Kneecap gigs have since been canceled as a result of the controversy.
About 200,000 ticket holders have gathered at Worthy Farm in southwest England for Britain’s most prestigious summer music festival, which features about 4,000 performers on 120 stages. Headline acts performing over three days included Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii.
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