Kneecap reject antisemitism accusations: “We are against discrimination in any form”
Kneecap have hit back at accusations they are antisemitic and condemned “discrimination in any form”.
The new comments come shortly after the band’s Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, secured a definitive legal victory against the UK government on March 11th, which brought the terror charge against him to an end.
The charge, which was issued in May 2025, was in relation to an accusation that Chara displayed a Hezbollah flag at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town in London in November 2024.
Now, during a new interview with Big Issue, Chara was asked if he had any regrets over the alleged incident, to which he responded, “I don’t think my lawyer would be too happy me mentioning anything about it.”
The Irish rapper added, “When you’re playing a gig it’s impossible to be perfectly conscious all the time. I don’t remember all – and that’s not just from drink, that’s pure adrenaline. I can’t be completely responsible all the time.”
The band then addressed allegations that they are antisemitic, which Chara refuted, and explained that Kneecap are “against discrimination in any form”.
He stated that antisemitism is a “real issue” and “terrible”, before adding, “But when you start labelling bands and people who speak out against Israel as antisemitic, what you do is water that term down. We are not antisemitic.”
His bandmate, Móglaí Bap, also rejected the claims, stating, “Look, we’re from the north of Ireland. We know about fucking religious conflicts, people using religion as a way to murder, maim and all this stuff. We have gone through that as a country and we want nothing to do with it.”
It comes after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer doubled down on his criticism of the band in an interview with ITV News last week, telling the broadcaster, “Well, my views on Kneecap are very well known in relation to what they stand for and what they say, which is completely intolerable.”
Starmer previously called upon Glastonbury to remove Kneecap from the festival last summer, telling The Sun that “I don’t think that’s appropriate” for them to perform at Worthy Farm.
Kneecap’s new album, Fenian, is set for release on April 24th, 2026, and promises to be their response to the legal challenges that have engulfed the band’s Mo Chara over the last 12 months.
In addition to a series of festival appearances, including headlining All Together Now and Boomtown, they will also play the biggest show of their career at Crystal Palace Park in London.
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