Kneecap apologise to families of two murdered MPs and condemn terrorist groups: “We condemn all attacks on civilians”
Kneecap have issued apologies to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and David Amess, as well as condemning Hamas and Hezbollah in a new statement amid police investigation.
Counter-terrorism police are currently investigating two video clips from Kneecap live shows. In one, reportedly from a gig in November 2023, they seemingly can be heard saying, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” Additionally, last week, an investigation began into Kneecap’s performance in November 2024 at the O2 Kentish Town in London which seemingly showed band member Mo Chara shouting, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.
Notably, Conservative MP David Amess was murdered in 2021, and Labour MP Jo Cox was also murdered in 2016. Amess’ daughter, Katie Amess, urged Kneecap to apologise, stating she was “gobsmacked at the stupidity of somebody or a group of people being in the public eye and saying such dangerous, violent rhetoric”.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer labelled the comments made in the video clips as “completely unacceptable” and ruled out future funding for Kneecap.
Now, the Irish trio have issued a new statement. It begins: “They want you to believe words are more harmful than genocide. Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral hysteria.”
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The group continue: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history. We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever. An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action.”
Kneecap also personally apologised to the Amess and Cox families, writing, “To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies. We never intended to cause you hurt.”
They again reiterated their support for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict with Israel, which they previously did at Coachella ahead of these video clips surfacing, adding, “This distortion is not only absurd – it is a transparent effort to derail the real conversation. All two million Palestinian people in Gaza are currently being starved to death by Israel. At least 20,000 children in Gaza have been killed.”
Kneecap said their message is one of “love, inclusion, and hope”, again insisting they are the target of a “smear campaign” which they called “an avalanche of outrage and condemnation by the political classes of Britain.”
The trio concluded: “The real crimes are not in our performances; the real crimes are the silence and complicity of those in power. Shame on them.”
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