Kneecap respond to Mo Chara terror offence charge: “This is a carnival of distraction”

Mo Chara is alleged to have used the flag during a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, on 21st November 2024. Metropolitan Police were alerted to the situation on 22nd April this year. The same month, Kneecap performed at Coachella where they delivered messages including “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people” and “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine.” 

The band subsequently accused the Californian festival of censoring their statements on the event livestream, while organisers claimed to be “blindsided” by the overtly political content. Their US visa sponsor, Independent Artist’s Group, then dropped support and a number of international performances were cancelled by promoters and venues. 

Shows in Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Hurricane and Southside festivals in Germany have been stopped since the terror investigation began. Kneecap were also dropped from an event at Eden Project in Devon, UK. A replacement gig in Plymouth, organised by the group, was then also pulled. 

UK politicians have gone on to call for their removal from TRNSMT and Glastonbury, among other bookings. This is partly in response to the emergence of 2023 footage which appears to show a band member telling the audience: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory” and “Kill Your MP”. They have since apologised to the families of murdered Members of Parliament.

In contrast to the criticism, a slew of high profile musicians have spoken out in support of the Kneecap, such as Fontaines D.C., Tom Morello, Brian Eno, and Pulp. Massive Attack, who have publicly boycotted Israel since 1999, also rallied behind them in a statement. “Kneecap are not the story”, they wrote. “Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story. And the silence, acquiescence and support of those crimes against humanity by the elected British government is the real story.”

Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tried to withdraw public arts funding for the band. The decision was ruled “

unlawful and procedurally unfair”, before being overturned. Money was then donated to grass roots and community organisations in Northern Ireland. 

Revisit DJ Mag’s interview with the band here.