Kneecap went too far: UK gigs canceled 

Kneecap, the Irish rap trio whose incendiary lyrics and Irish republican bravado have made them both cultural icons and lightning rods, faced a cascade of cancellations this week as their planned UK concerts were scrapped as there inflammatory remarks result in a growing storm.

With London’s counter-terrorism police now investigating videos of the band’s performances, the saga of Kneecap’s rise and rebuke should be a lesson to all artists.Yes, it's 2025 and all, but that doesn't mean you can do and say whatever you like, and everything will be ok, just because you have an audience.

A Double Blow for Kneecap

On April 29, organizers of Cornwall’s Eden Sessions announced the cancellation of Kneecap’s scheduled July 4, 2025, performance at the Eden Project, offering no specific reason but promising full refunds to ticket holders.

Hours later, the Belfast-based group, known for their Irish-language rhymes and unapologetic activism, pivoted, announcing a replacement gig at Plymouth Pavilions for the same date.

That show, too, was abruptly canceled on Friday, with organizers citing “safety concerns” after “taking advice from relevant authorities and agencies.” The band has since secured new Plymouth gigs at a different venue, but the rapid-fire cancellations were definitely a significant setback.

The controversy erupted over a November 2023 performance in west Belfast, where a video surfaced appearing to show a band member declaring, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”

Additional footage, allegedly from London gigs in November 2023 and 2024, captured the trio shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah,” groups banned as terrorist organizations in the UK, where expressing support for them is a crime.

Even Piers Morgan, who has become no great friend of Israel of late, decried this statement as being absolutely unacceptable.

The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, alerted to the videos on April 22, confirmed on May 2 that specialist officers found “grounds for further investigation into potential offences,” with inquiries ongoing.

Kneecap, comprising Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, quickly rejected accusations of inciting violence or endorsing banned groups. In a statement, the band said, “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,” insisting the footage was “deliberately taken out of context” and “weaponized” by critics.

Addressing the families of murdered UK MPs Jo Cox and David Amess, they added, “We send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt.” Yet the damage was already done.

A Band Born in Controversy

Formed in 2017, Kneecap has built a global following with their blend of Irish-language rap, punk energy, and unfiltered commentary on Ireland’s troubled history. Their semi-fictionalized biopic, Kneecap, starring Michael Fassbender, won a BAFTA in February 2025, cementing their cultural impact. From Coachella to Glastonbury, the trio’s performances, often punctuated by pro-Palestinian messages and critiques of British policy, have courted outrage.

At Coachella last month (April 2025), their display of Gaza war messages led to their sponsor and booking agent, Independent Artist Group, dropping them, while former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne called for their U.S. work visas to be revoked.

The current backlash, however, is the most severe yet. UK Commons Leader Lucy Powell and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch publicly opposed Kneecap’s scheduled Glastonbury performance, with Powell stating, “No-one in this House would want to see the group at Glastonbury.”

Badenoch went further, urging festival organizers to bar the band, citing the “kill your MP” remarks as dangerous. The counter-terrorism probe, triggered by the London videos, has elevated the stakes, casting a shadow over Kneecap’s future bookings.

Kneecap’s defenders argue the band is being unfairly targeted. An open letter from their label, Heavenly Recordings, signed by artists like Fontaines DC, Massive Attack, Paul Weller, and Christy Moore, decried a “clear, concerted attempt to censor and deplatform” the trio.

The statement accused “senior political figures” and UK media of orchestrating a campaign to silence Kneecap, asserting, “In a democracy, no political figures or parties should have the right to dictate who plays at music festivals.” In typical 2025 fashion, the letter intimated that the controversy was a broader assault on artistic freedom. This, in turn, was echoed by fans who see Kneecap’s provocations as vital to their identity.

Critics, however, view the band’s rhetoric as reckless in a climate of rising political violence. The reference to Cox and Amess, MPs killed in 2016 and 2021, struck a raw nerve. The Hamas and Hezbollah chants, even if taken out of context, are particularly incendiary given the UK’s legal stance on these groups.

The police investigation, while not yet resulting in charges, signals the seriousness of the allegations, with potential implications for Kneecap’s ability to perform in the UK.

For Kneecap, the path forward is uncertain. Their new Plymouth gigs signal resilience, but the counter-terrorism probe overshadows everything, potentially affecting their Glastonbury slot and beyond.

They need to learn this uncomfortable truth: Free speech has limits, and words kill.

BBC contributed to this article