Shadow Home Secretary writes to Glastonbury demanding Kneecap are removed from festival
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP has written to Michael Eavis demanding that Kneecap be removed from the Glastonbury Festival.
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.
Philp is the latest in a string of politicians to condemn Kneecap. In the letter to Eavis, he accused the musical group of “attacking democracy itself” and stated that “inciting violence is a criminal offence”.
He also referenced the band’s apology to the families of the late MPs David Amess and Jo Cox, who were both murdered, stating, “Kneecap’s half-hearted apology carries no weight. The very name of the group refers to a violent act of intimidation carried out by terrorists.”
The Shadow Home Secretary continued: “The Glastonbury Festival should not be providing a platform or legitimacy to a group which has incited the murder of democratically elected MPs, especially when MPs have been murdered in the recent past.”
- Kneecap removed from major German festivals and have tour cancelled
- Kneecap controversy: The full story explained amid police investigation
His comments came after Kneecap was debated in Parliament on April 28th. Following a question from Tory MP Mark Francois regarding the band’s upcoming appearance at Glastonbury, Labour minister Dan Jarvis said: “It is not for Government ministers to say who is going to appear at Glastonbury, it’s for the organisers of the festival. But there is, as I have said, an ongoing live police investigation, so the Government would urge the organisers at the Glastonbury Festival to think very carefully about who is invited to perform there later this year.”
Jarvis also refused to name Kneecap in parliament, explaining, “It’s for [MPs] to choose what language they would use, but my advice is not to give them any further publicity by naming them. I won’t be naming them and I would suggest that other members don’t either.”
Glastonbury are yet to comment on Kneecap’s police investigation, and the band currently remain scheduled to perform on the West Holts Stage in June.
Hurricane Festival and Southside Festival in Germany have removed Kneecap from their line-ups. Kneecap have also had a German headline tour cancelled as well as a performance at the Eden Projects in Cornwall.
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