Massive Attack issue statement in support of Kneecap: “Gaza is the story”
Massive Attack have issued a new statement in support of Kneecap amid an ongoing police investigation into the band.
The Irish trio are currently the subject of an ongoing investigation from counter-terrorism police after footage emerged online from their 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.” In the other, which took place at the O2 Kentish Town in London last November, band member Mo Chara shouts, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.” Both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognised as terrorist organisations in the UK.
In light of the ongoing investigation, Hurricane Festival and Southside Festival in Germany have removed Kneecap from their line-ups. Kneecap have also had their German headline tour cancelled as well as a performance at the Eden Projects in Cornwall.
Glastonbury Festival are also facing pressure from politicians to remove the group from their line-up, including Labour minister Dan Jarvis, who said in Parliament on April 29th, “The Government would urge the organisers at the Glastonbury Festival to think very carefully about who is invited to perform there later this year.”
- Kneecap removed from major German festivals and have tour cancelled
- Kneecap controversy: The full story explained amid police investigation
Now, Massive Attack have come to their defence. “Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story,” the Bristol band wrote on social media. “And the silence, acquiescence and support of those crimes against humanity by the elected British government is the real story.”
While Massive Attack conceded that “the hideous murders of elected politicians Jo Cox and David Amess means there’s no scope for flippancy or recklessness”, they also said the media and politicians should be more concerned with “a genocide happening in real time” than “strategically concocting moral outrage over a young punk band”.
Their message, which can be viewed in full below, continued: “Solidarity with all artists with the moral courage to speak out against Israeli war crimes, and the ongoing persecution and slaughter of the Palestinian people.”
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