Kneecap Fans Show Strong Support Despite Festival Cancellation
Fans of the Irish rap trio Kneecap gathered outside their gig at the O2 Academy in Glasgow, expressing their unwavering support for the band despite them being removed from festival line-ups. The three members of Kneecap arrived at the venue on Tuesday evening ahead of their performance, where they were met by pro-Palestinian demonstrators waving flags.
Kneecap had been excluded from the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow following an investigation by counter-terror police into Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara. He was accused of terrorism offences related to a Hezbollah flag he allegedly displayed on stage. This incident sparked a significant debate about free speech and political expression.
The rap group, known for performing in both English and Irish, has been vocal critics of the war in Gaza. They claim that the prosecution against one of their members is linked to their views on Palestine. Fans and demonstrators outside the venue spoke to the PA news agency, often choosing to remain anonymous in their support for Kneecap.
Meghan, one of the fans, shared her thoughts with the news agency. She and her friend Amy had initially planned to attend TRNSMT but decided to go to the Kneecap gig instead. Meghan described the band’s cancellation as “disgusting” and added, “I think people are just scared for them to express proper problems in the world. They just want to shy away from it whereas Kneecap just come out and say it like it is.”
Naomi, a pro-Palestinian protester, expressed her opinion that the establishment feels threatened and uses extreme measures to silence outspoken voices. She said, “We applaud Kneecap.”
Cat Train, part of the group Mothers against Genocide, claimed that Kneecap was cancelled due to financial reasons. “They’ve been cancelled by capitalism,” she said. “So whoever booked them to play the O2 did absolutely the right thing.”
Another fan, Asha, who has seen the group perform 11 times, emphasized that Kneecap’s messages are correct. “It’s not like they’re saying anything that’s wrong, everything they’re saying is absolutely correct. People don’t like hearing the truth.”
TRNSMT cancelled Kneecap’s performance at the end of May over safety concerns raised by Police Scotland. The police force stated that they have a “proportionate and considered policing plan” ahead of Kneecap’s gig in Glasgow, which replaced their cancelled slot at the TRNSMT festival.
In addition to Kneecap’s sold-out gig, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar are also set to perform in Glasgow on Tuesday. In May, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney called for TRNSMT to cancel the performance on July 11, urging the organizers to consider the issue.
O hAnnaidh was charged under the name Liam O’Hanna by the Metropolitan Police in May over the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a gig. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18. The controversy led to calls from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch for Glastonbury to cancel a performance from the Belfast rappers on June 28, which the festival organizers did not do.
Ahead of the Glasgow gig, Superintendent Paul Douglas of Police Scotland mentioned that they are aware of several events and concerts taking place in the Greater Glasgow area during the week beginning Monday July 7. He stated that a proportionate and considered policing plan is in place within the city, and they are working with stakeholders to ensure the safety of all attendees while minimizing disruption to the people of Glasgow.
