Hip-Hop Trio Kneecap to Perform at Glastonbury Despite Ban Calls

Irish hip-hop group Kneecap will play Glastonbury Festival in England Saturday despite backlash by the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and calls by some figures in the music industry to cancel the show.

Last month frontman Liam O Hanna whose stage name is Mo Chara was charged with a terrorism offence, accused of showing a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November.

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When he appeared before the court in London, he was mobbed by his supporters chanting slogans that read, Free Palestine and Free Mo Chara. He was granted an unconditional bail until another hearing in August.

There has also appeared footage, where the band says the following on stage: Kill your local MP and The only good Tory is a dead Tory.

They have also shown regret on the remarks on slaughtering an MP.

Starmer earlier in June told the Sun newspaper that it was a matter of inappropriateness that Kneecap, who rap in both Irish and English, play at Glastonbury.

Other critics including opposition leader Kemi Badenoch have also spoken out, stating that the BBC, in which the festival is aired, has no business showing them.

A letter leaked by the DJ Toddla T has been cited by the Guardian showing that some 30 bosses of the music industry asked organisers to remove Kneecap off the rota.

Over 100 musicians have also signed a letter in public defending the group.

Manager Dan Lambert of Kneecap had reported that the group had anticipated the calls that the performance of the group would be cancelled.

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"We knew that the biggest pressure would come on Glastonbury because Glastonbury's an institution," he told Reuters.

On Wednesday organiser Emily Eavis said the festival was an outlet of artists around the world saying that everyone was welcome there.

The video of OHanna waving the flag was released following the performance by the Northern-Irish group who, in April, during the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival in California showed pro-Palestinian messages on their stage, concluding it by saying; Free Palestine."

Kneecap, which also features members Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí, has said it does not support Hamas or Hezbollah.

O'Hanna said on Friday the group were "playing characters" when on stage, and that the messages were left up for interpretation for the public.

"Take what you want from it, but we're not going to change in that way," he told the Guardian newspaper.

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