Why is Kneecap under fire? Controversy explained as group to remain in Glastonbury festival lineup

Irish hip-hop band Kneecap is currently under fire because one of its members is charged with a terror offence. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, commonly referred to by his stage name, Mo Chara, was charged by the Metropolitan Police on November 21, 2024. According to reports, the rapper allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag while performing a gig with his band at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London.

Kneecap has always been vocal about their support for Palestine and other causes. They often convey their support through their lyrics and performances. Currently, the Metropolitan Police are investigating by going through their performance videos, where the band allegedly chanted "up Hamas, up Hezbollah." In the U.K., it is considered illegal to support Hamas and Hezbollah since they are banned in the country.

The band has denied these accusations on social media. They wrote:

"We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves... This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction... 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."

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh is scheduled to attend the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18, 2025.

BBC announces that Kneecap will perform at the Glastonbury Festival

Several upcoming Kneecap gigs have been cancelled, including Scotland’s TRNSMT festival, due to safety concerns. British politicians have also written to organizers to stop the band from performing. However, the band will perform at the Glastonbury Festival.

At the same time, the BBC announced its plans to release its artists' sets. They also told The i Paper that Kneecap's set will also be included in their announcement. A BBC spokesperson said:

"As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers... Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our broadcast output will be made in the lead up to the festival."

At the same time, the BBC stated there are certain rules that the performances need to adhere to. Anything that contains "unjustifiably offensive language" will be removed. The broadcasting company should remain neutral and not seem like they are supporting any particular cause or opinion, which is why they might cut out certain parts before airing it to the public.

One of Kneecap's recent performances that included a political comment was seen during Coachella. Their message said:

"Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F**k Israel; free Palestine."

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Mo Chara will appear in court on July 18, 2025. This has, however, not stopped Kneecap from announcing one of their biggest gigs at London’s OVO Wembley Arena in September.

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