Irish band Kneecap shouts out to banned Palestinian group at Glastonbury

Thousands of fans chanted ‘free Palestine’ and waved Palestinian flags arsenic the Irish trio performed successful the UK.

Irish-language rap radical Kneecap has performed astatine the Glastonbury Festival successful beforehand of tens of thousands of fans chanting “Free Palestine”, defying United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer who said helium did not deliberation it was “appropriate” for the set to appear.

The group’s Liam O’Hanna connected Saturday besides gave a “shout-out” to Palestine Action Group, which UK Interior Minister Yvette Cooper announced past week would go a banned radical nether the Terrorism Act of 2000.

“The premier curate of your country, not mine, said helium didn’t privation america to play, truthful f*** Keir Starmer,” said O’Hanna, who appeared connected signifier wearing his trademark Palestinian keffiyeh successful beforehand of the capableness crowd, including galore radical waving Palestinian flags.

“This concern tin beryllium rather stressful but it’s minimal compared to what the Palestinian radical are [facing],” O’Hanna, who performs nether the sanction Mo Chara, added, referring to the backlash the set has faced for its outspoken enactment of Palestinians successful Gaza.

He is facing charges nether the British Terrorism Act of supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a emblem of Lebanon’s Hezbollah equipped radical astatine a performance successful London successful November past year.

O’Hanna has said helium picked up a emblem that was thrown onto the signifier without knowing what it represented.

The rapper is connected unconditional bail earlier a further tribunal proceeding successful August.

“Glastonbury, I’m a escaped man!” helium shouted arsenic the trio took to the signifier astatine Glastonbury’s West Holts field, which holds astir 30,000 people.

The trio besides thanked festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis for resisting unit to cancel their appearance, including from Starmer.

Several Kneecap concerts person been cancelled since the band’s show astatine the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival successful California successful April, wherever they accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians, enabled by the United States government.

At slightest 56,412 Palestinians person been killed and 133,054 wounded in Israel’s warfare connected Gaza, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Ireland’s radical and authorities person been immoderate of the astir outspoken critics of the war, arsenic good arsenic Israel’s deliberate starvation of Gaza’s population, which galore radical spot arsenic having parallels to the English concern of Ireland.

Festival-goers question Palestinian flags during Kneecap’s Glastonbury acceptable [Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP]

The BBC, which broadcasts dozens of Glastonbury performances, did not amusement Kneecap’s acceptable live, but said it planned to marque it disposable online later.

The broadcaster said it would not beryllium re-airing the unrecorded show of British rap punk duo Bob Vylan who appeared connected signifier earlier Kneecap and led chants of “Free, escaped Palestine” and “Death, decease to the IDF [Israeli army]”.

A BBC spokesperson said the comments were “deeply offensive”, and that they would not beryllium disposable to rewatch connected BBC iPlayer.

The BBC besides reported that UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy spoke to the BBC manager general, Tim Davie, seeking an “urgent explanation” aft the chants were aired live.

According to the BBC, Avon and Somerset Police besides said that they would beryllium reviewing footage of some Kneecap and Bob Vylan’s sets to “determine whether immoderate offences whitethorn person been committed that would necessitate a transgression investigation”.

The bands were among astir 4,000 performers crossed 120 stages to look astatine this year’s festival, which besides featured headliners including Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii, arsenic good arsenic a astonishment quality by Britpop set Pulp.