Kneecap share private email revealing no police action will be taken into Glastonbury set
Kneecap have announced that there will be no further police action on their Glastonbury set, after a public investigation was launched into their performance.
Avon and Somerset Police, upon looking into the footage of both Kneecap and Bob Vylan, who performed at Glastonbury’s West Holts Stage, decided to launch an investigation into the acts. They originally stated, “Following the completion of that assessment process, we have decided further enquiries are required, and a criminal investigation is now being undertaken.”
Attendees deemed Kneecap’s set tame compared to Bob Vylan’s, whose performance was met with particular hostility after the punk duo’s vocalist said, “Death to the IDF.”
Now, Kneecap has revealed via social media that this investigation amounted to no charge. They began the lengthy post by saying, “One element of the political policing intimidation attempt is over.”
They reflected on their June 28th set, writing, “We played a historic set at Glastonbury. Whole area closed an hour before due to crowds. A celebration of love and solidarity. A sea of good people at the world’s most famous festival. Shortly afterwards we learn of an active police investigation. An investigation that followed after the Prime Minister himself said it ‘was not appropriate’ we played Glastonbury.”
They added, “Walk off stage to the rapturous sounds of good people and into the creaking scheming sounds of the establishment.”
They hit out at the “wildly misleading headlines” with which the world’s media reported the investigation, as the police publicly announced the investigation. They questioned, “Why open and publicise an investigation into fuck all?”
They also took the opportunity to call out the “targeted state intimidation” tactic. Before revealing the screenshot of the email, they wrote, “After the media damage is inflicted and seen by millions of eyes, you receive a private email to say there’s no evidence and no action—that is seen by two people only. There is no public apology; they don’t send this to the media or post it on police accounts.”
Similarly, it was recently announced that Kneecap would not face charges over comments allegedly made during a concert in November 2023, where a band member was allegedly recorded stating: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
However, Mo Chara will still appear in Westminster Magistrates Court on August 20th concerning a terror charge after he allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag at a show in 2024 while shouting, “Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah.” Hezbollah are a banned organisation in the UK.
Despite being at the heart of much controversy, the trio has announced details of a new UK tour that will take them nationwide in November.
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