Irish rap group Kneecap plays at Glastonbury despite criticism
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, aka Mo Chara, right, a member of the Irish language band Kneecap, leaves Westminster Magistrates Court London, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, where he is charged with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah during a performance with the band in November 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
PILTON, England — Irish-language rap group Kneecap performed to tens of thousands of people Saturday at the Glastonbury Festival despite criticism by British politicians and a terror charge for one of the trio.
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. He's on unconditional bail before a further court hearing in August.
'Glastonbury, I'm a free man!" Ó hAnnaidh shouted as Kneecap took the stage at Glastonbury's West Holts field, which holds about 30,000 people. A scattering of Palestinian flags flew in the capacity crowd before the show, which opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band's critics and legal woes.
The Belfast trio has been praised for invigorating the Irish-language cultural scene in Northern Ireland, but also criticized for lyrics laden with expletives and drug references, and for political statements.
The band draws, often satirically, on the language and imagery of the Irish republican movement and Northern Ireland's decades of violence. It has faced criticism 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 don't support Hezbollah or Hamas, nor condone violence, and Ó hAnnaidh says 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.
Several Kneecap gigs have been canceled as a result of the controversy. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, when asked by a journalist, that it wouldn't be 'appropriate' for the festival to give Kneecap a platform.
Opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the publicly funded BBC shouldn't broadcast 'Kneecap propaganda.'
The BBC, which airs many hours of Glastonbury performances, said it wouldn't show Kneecap's set live, but would 'look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms' afterward.
About 200,000 ticket holders have gathered at Worthy Farm in southwest England for Britain's most prestigious summer music festival, which features almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages. Headline acts performing over three days ending Sunday include Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii.
Glastonbury highlights on Friday included a performance from U.K. rockers The 1975, an unannounced set by New Zealand singer Lorde, a raucous reception for Gen X icon Alanis Morissette and an emotional return for Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, two years after he took a break from touring to adjust to the impact of the neurological condition Tourette syndrome.
Louise Dixon, The Associated Press
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Published Jun 28, 2025 • 3 minute read Hip hop trio Kneecap perform during the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Photo by Scott A Garfitt / Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. 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Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account PILTON, England (AP) — Irish-language rap group Kneecap gave an impassioned performance for tens of thousands of fans on Saturday at the Glastonbury Festival despite criticism by British politicians and a terror charge for one of the trio. Liam 'g ' hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. 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!' ' hAnnaidh shouted as Kneecap took the stage at Glastonbury's West Holts field, which holds about 30,000 people. 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. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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 U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn't 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 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 U.K., with the Republic of Ireland. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. More than 3,600 people were killed during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland involving Irish republican militants, pro-British Loyalist militias and the U.K. security forces. Kneecap takes its name from a brutal punishment — shooting in the leg — that was dealt out by paramilitary groups to informers and drug dealers. 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 don't support Hezbollah or Hamas, nor condone violence, and ' hAnnaidh says 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. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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 U.S. government, sparked calls for the rappers' U.S. visas to be revoked. Several Kneecap gigs have since been canceled as a result of the controversy. The BBC, which airs many hours of Glastonbury performances, didn't show Kneecap's set live, but said it would 'look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms' afterward. About 200,000 ticket holders have gathered at Worthy Farm in southwest England for Britain's most prestigious summer music festival, which features almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages. Headline acts performing over three days ending Sunday include Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Glastonbury highlights on Friday included a performance from U.K. rockers The 1975, an unannounced set by New Zealand singer Lorde, a raucous reception for Gen X icon Alanis Morissette and an emotional return for Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, two years after he took a break from touring to adjust to the impact of the neurological condition Tourette syndrome. 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PILTON, England (AP) — Irish-language rap group Kneecap gave an impassioned performance for tens of thousands of fans on Saturday at the Glastonbury Festival despite criticism by British politicians and a terror charge for one of the trio. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. 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.
