Irish band Kneecap shows support for Palestine Action faction during Glastonbury performance | Music News
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Thousands of fans shouted “free Palestine” and waved Palestinian flags as the Irish trio performed in the UK.
Irish-language rap group Kneecap performed at the Glastonbury Festival, where tens of thousands of fans chanted “Free Palestine,” despite the opposition of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who deemed it “inappropriate” for the band to appear.
During the performance, Liam O’Hanna of Kneecap gave a “shout-out” to the Palestine Action Group, which UK Interior Minister Yvette Cooper had announced would be banned under the Terrorism Act of 2000.
“The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,” O’Hanna said, wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, while the audience, many waving Palestinian flags, cheered.
Venues have been canceled for Kneecap after their Coachella performance in April, where they accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians, supported by the US government.
Over 56,412 Palestinians have been killed, and 133,054 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza, as per Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Irish people and the government have strongly condemned the war and Israel’s blockade of Gaza, seeing parallels to England’s occupation of Ireland.Festival-goers wave Palestinian flags during Kneecap’s Glastonbury set [Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP]
The BBC chose not to broadcast Kneecap’s set live due to the band’s pro-Palestinian stance and the public’s strong reactions while planning to make it available online later.
Bob Vylan’s set preceding Kneecap’s performance, which included Palestine-related chants, also won’t be re-aired by the BBC. The police were considering reviewing footage from both performances to investigate potential criminal offenses.
With around 4,000 performers across 120 stages, this year’s festival featured headliners and surprise appearances, attracting diverse audiences once again.
