Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap drew a massive crowd at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, leading chants against British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, after Starmer had earlier called their appearance “inappropriate.”
Addressing more than 30,000 festivalgoers at the West Holts stage, group member Mo Chara declared, “The prime minister of your country — not mine — said he didn’t want us to play, so fuck Keir Starmer.” He wore a Palestinian keffiyeh as the crowd, many waving Palestinian flags, erupted in cheers.
Kneecap’s appearance came amid controversy after Mo Chara was charged last month with a terrorism-related offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a performance. He denies the charge, which his bandmates called “trumped up” during the set.
Mo Chara told the crowd that while the case had been stressful, “it’s nothing compared to what Palestinians go through every day.” He later accused Israel of committing war crimes, stating bluntly, “There’s no hiding it.”
The Israeli embassy in the UK said it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric” expressed on stage, but did not respond to Kneecap’s specific comments.
Starmer had previously told The Sun newspaper that the group’s inclusion in the festival was “not appropriate.” Opposition politician Kemi Badenoch also called for the BBC to avoid airing the set, while 30 music industry figures reportedly urged organizers to drop the trio, according to a letter leaked by DJ Toddla T.
Despite the backlash, more than 100 artists signed a public letter defending Kneecap’s right to perform.
During the hour-long show, Kneecap thanked Glastonbury organizers Michael and Emily Eavis for not bowing to pressure. “This is art, it’s performance,” said one festivalgoer, Irwin Kelly, 40. “It stirred people — and that’s what it’s meant to do.”
Kneecap, whose other members include Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí, maintain that they do not support Hamas or Hezbollah. Mo Chara said Friday the group plays “characters” on stage, leaving the audience to interpret their meaning.
The festival appearance comes amid ongoing war in Gaza. Israel says it is targeting Hamas after the militant group killed around 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in its October 7, 2023 attack. Gaza’s health ministry reports over 56,000 Palestinians killed in the ensuing Israeli campaign, the majority of them civilians.