‘I'm a free man': Kneecap defy UK PM with Glastonbury chant
Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap took to the Glastonbury stage on Saturday, delivering a fiery set that drew both cheers and controversy.
The group, known for its outspoken politics, led thousands of fans in chants supporting Palestine and criticising the Israeli Defence Forces, while also taking aim at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer—who had previously called for Kneecap to be banned from the festival.
'Glastonbury, I'm a free man,' Mo Chara said after appearing on stage. Irish rap trio Kneecap have posted a recap video after igniting the Glastonbury stage with defiant pro-Palestine chants and sharp criticism of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (EPA PHOTO) Credit: AAP
'The prime minister of your country - not mine - said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,' Mo Chara told the crowd, wearing the keffiyeh scarf associated with Palestinians.
At least 30,000 people, hundreds of them with Palestinian flags, crammed into the West Holts stage in blazing sunshine to watch the trio, causing organisers to close the area.
After opening their set with Better Way to Live, which mixes English and Irish, another of the group's members - M?gla? Bap, otherwise known as Naoise ? Caireall?in - said Mo Chara would be back in court for a 'trumped up terrorism charge'.
Mo Chara told the crowd the situation over the lawsuit was stressful but it was minimal compared to what the Palestinians were going through every day.
Later in the set, Mo Chara accused Israel of committing war crimes, saying, 'There's no hiding it.'
Irwin Kelly, 40, said the trio got the crowd really involved in the set.
'Obviously it had a bit of controversy surrounding it,' he said.
'But it's art, it's performance.' Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap performing to 10,000 fans at a free gig in Federation Square in Melbourne on March 10. Credit: Maira West Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap. Credit: Hannah Butterfield
The Israeli embassy in the United Kingdom earlier said it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'.
It did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kneecap's statements.
Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed about 45 minutes before Kneecap's performance after groups of fans arrived to form a sea of Irish and Palestinian flags.
Rap punk duo Bob Vylan performed on the stage before Kneecap and led the crowd in chants of 'Free, free Palestine' and 'Death, death to the IDF'.
Starmer told the Sun newspaper this month it was 'not appropriate' for Kneecap to appear at the famed music festival in the southwest of England.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch had said the public broadcaster BBC, which livestreams the festival, should not show Kneecap, and 30 music industry bosses asked organisers to pull the band from the line-up, according to a letter leaked by DJ Toddla T, cited by the Guardian newspaper.
In response, more than 100 musicians have signed a public letter in support of the group.
The BBC said on Saturday Kneecap's set would not be live-streamed but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later. West Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap. Credit: Hannah Butterfield
Kneecap manager Dan Lambert told Reuters the group had expected calls for the performance to be cancelled.
During the hour-long set, Kneecap thanked organisers Michael and Emily Eavis for not bowing to the pressure.
Kneecap, whose third member has the stage name DJ Pr?va?, has said they do not support Hamas or Hezbollah.
Mo Chara said on Friday the group were 'playing characters' on stage, and it was up to the audience to interpret their messages.
The performance followed months of debate over the band's inclusion, after frontman Liam O'Hanna (stage name Mo Chara) was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and making supportive remarks about Hamas and Hezbollah at a London concert last year.
Both groups are banned in the UK, and expressing support for them is an offence. O'Hanna, who appeared in court earlier this month, has denied the charge and described his legal troubles as minimal compared to the suffering of Palestinians.
On stage, O'Hanna wore his trademark keffiyeh and gave a 'shout out' to the Palestine Action Group, which has also recently been banned under anti-terror laws. Fellow band member DJ Provai wore a t-shirt dedicated to the campaign group.
Before Kneecap's set, rap punk duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in chants of 'Death to the IDF,' further stoking the festival's charged atmosphere.
Local police confirmed they were reviewing videos of comments made by both groups to determine if any offences had been committed. Festivalgoers waved Palestinian flags and wore 'Wanted Kneecap' t-shirts, showing strong support for the band's defiant stance.
Glastonbury organisers stood by their decision to host Kneecap, with co-founder Michael Eavis stating, 'People that don't like the politics of the event can go somewhere else.' The BBC, under pressure not to air the performance, confirmed it would not be shown live but would likely be available on-demand.
Kneecap's set was just one highlight of a festival that also saw surprise performances from Britpop legends Pulp and Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, as well as headline acts including Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.
- with Reuters and PA
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