1000’s of followers chanted ‘free Palestine’ and waved Palestinian flags because the Irish trio carried out within the UK.
Irish-language rap group Kneecap has carried out on the Glastonbury Competition in entrance of tens of hundreds of followers chanting “Free Palestine”, defying United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer who stated he didn’t assume it was “applicable” for the band to seem.
The group’s Liam O’Hanna on Saturday additionally gave a “shout-out” to Palestine Motion Group, which UK Inside Minister Yvette Cooper introduced final week would turn into a banned group beneath the Terrorism Act of 2000.
“The prime minister of your nation, not mine, stated he didn’t need us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,” stated O’Hanna, who appeared on stage sporting his trademark Palestinian keffiyeh in entrance of the capability crowd, together with many individuals waving Palestinian flags.
“This case might be fairly hectic but it surely’s minimal in comparison with what the Palestinian individuals are [facing],” O’Hanna, who performs beneath the identify Mo Chara, added, referring to the backlash the band has confronted for its outspoken assist of Palestinians in Gaza.
He’s dealing with fees beneath the British Terrorism Act of supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a flag of Lebanon’s Hezbollah armed group at a live performance in London in November final yr.
O’Hanna has stated he picked up a flag that was thrown onto the stage with out realizing what it represented.
The rapper is on unconditional bail earlier than an additional courtroom listening to in August.
“Glastonbury, I’m a free man!” he shouted because the trio took to the stage at Glastonbury’s West Holts discipline, which holds about 30,000 folks.
The trio additionally thanked pageant organisers Michael and Emily Eavis for resisting strain to cancel their look, together with from Starmer.
A number of Kneecap concert events have been cancelled for the reason that band’s efficiency on the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Competition in California in April, the place they accused Israel of committing genocide towards the Palestinians, enabled by america authorities.
Not less than 56,412 Palestinians have been killed and 133,054 wounded in Israel’s warfare on Gaza, based on Gaza’s Ministry of Well being.
Eire’s folks and authorities have been among the most outspoken critics of the warfare, in addition to Israel’s deliberate hunger of Gaza’s inhabitants, which many individuals see as having parallels to the English occupation of Eire.
The BBC, which broadcasts dozens of Glastonbury performances, didn’t present Kneecap’s set dwell, however stated it deliberate to make it accessible on-line later.
The broadcaster stated it will not be re-airing the dwell efficiency of British rap punk duo Bob Vylan who appeared on stage earlier than Kneecap and led chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Dying, demise to the IDF [Israeli army]”.
A BBC spokesperson stated the feedback had been “deeply offensive”, and that they’d not be accessible to rewatch on BBC iPlayer.
The BBC additionally reported that UK Tradition Minister Lisa Nandy spoke to the BBC director basic, Tim Davie, looking for an “pressing clarification” after the chants had been aired dwell.
In keeping with the BBC, Avon and Somerset Police additionally stated that they’d be reviewing footage of each Kneecap and Bob Vylan’s units to “decide whether or not any offences could have been dedicated that may require a prison investigation”.
The bands had been amongst about 4,000 performers throughout 120 levels to seem at this yr’s pageant, which additionally featured headliners together with Neil Younger, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii, in addition to a shock look by Britpop band Pulp.