Johnny Marr becomes latest to support Kneecap and calls for a “free Palestine”
Johnny Marr has become the latest musician to voice their support for Kneecap, while he also called for “a free Palestine.”
The guitarist made a statement on X on June 16th, amid growing calls for the Irish rap trio to be axed from their upcoming set at Glastonbury Festival on June 28th, in an attempt to make his own position on the matter clear.
He said: “I’ve played Glastonbury many times and the festival has always had a political aspect. It was founded as a place of free expression and political activism and it’s a fact that I agreed to play there with The Smiths in 1984 purely because to do so at the time was a political act.”
Marr added: “Oppression fears artistic expression. I respect all musicians who use their platform to speak out against injustice, who promote compassion and equality and give voice to the voiceless.”
He then called for “an immediate end to the atrocities and a free Palestine,” joining a number of prominent musicians including Tom Morello and Brian Eno, who are backing Kneecap amid their ongoing controversy in which they allegedly supported Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as making calls to “kill your MP.”
The incidents have caused a chain reaction in the band being axed from their TRNSMT festival slot in Glasgow, as well as member Mo Chara being charged with a terror offence.
However, Glastonbury Festival organisers have so far not succumbed to pressures to remove Kneecap from their lineup. It comes despite music producer Toddla T, who has worked with the band extensively, revealing that “a very systematic powerful music agent” has been attempting to stop the trio performing at Worthy Farm from behind the scenes.
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