Kneecap axed from huge festival line-up after backlash over ‘kill your MP’ comment
KNEECAP has been dropped from a festival line-up in Cornwall after one band member said on stage “kill your MP” in an unearthed video.
The Irish hip-hop trio, made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, were due to perform at Eden Sessions in July.
Some have also called for the group’s Glastonbury slot to be axed and their music removed from streaming sites in the Commons today.
It comes as Conservative and Labour MPs erupted in anger after footage surfaced of a band member allegedly shouting: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
The Met is now assessing the video along with a separate clip from a November 2024 gig in which a Kneecap member appeared to shout: “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” – both proscribed terrorist groups in the UK.
But in response, the band issued a furious statement claiming the footage has been taken out of context.
They said: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah.
“We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history.
“We also reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever.
“An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action.
“This distortion is not only absurd – it is a transparent effort to derail the real conversation.”
They apologised to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and David Amess.
“To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt.
“Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral hysteria.”
Kneecap first came under fire after ending their Coachella performance with a pro-Palestinian message earlier this month.
A message reading “F*** Israel, Free Palestine” appeared on the screen behind them at the end of their set.
Sharon Osbourne, whose father was Jewish, slammed them on Instagram and demanded their US visas be revoked.
It also emerged the Coachella gig led to the band receiving death threats.
When asked about the threats, their manager Daniel Lambert told Irish broadcaster RTÉ: “It would be too severe to tell you on the radio at this time of day but you could probably imagine the things yourself.”
When asked if the messages specifically included death threats, he said: “They have yes.”
He added: “If somebody is hurt by the truth, that’s something for them to be hurt by, but it’s really important to speak truth.
“Thankfully the lads are not afraid to do that.”
A film about the band was also released in 2024 and saw the director Rich Peppiatt win a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut.
Last year Kneecap won their action challenging the withdrawal of arts funding by the previous Tory government.