Kneecap concert footage being assessed by counter-terrorism police

Irish rap trio Kneecap have been under fire for a resurfaced video of their November 2024 concert at O2 Kentish Town Forum, London, which counter-terrorism police are now assessing.

In the clip, they appear to support Hamas, the group’s Mo Chara can be heard seemingly shouting, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.” Hamas and Hezbollah are banned in the UK.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.”

The band responded to the claims on X with a screenshot of a recent article from Waterford Whispers News, an Irish satirical newspaper. The article they reference is entitled ’18-Months Of Genocide Footage Not Under Investigation By UK Counter-Terror Police’. “Some facts,” the post states.

The closing remarks in the satirical article read: “That assassination of the medics a few weeks ago? Kneecap! insisted one source we spoke to. Targeting food and water supplies? Kneecap! Raping prisoners of war? Kneecap! Purposely bombing hospitals and refugee camps? You guessed it – Kneecap!” before concluding, “Look, it’s easier to criminalise a rap group than to confront a genocide, especially when the bombs bear your own flag.”

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Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch shared the same footage from the O2 Kentish Town Forum show on X and wrote, “In govt I blocked Kneecap getting taxpayer funding. Labour didn’t contest the legal case the band brought and they walked away with £14,250 of OUR money.”

Badenoch, as head of the Department for Business and Trade, previously stopped Kneecap from receiving funds after they were included in the Music Export Growth Scheme, which aims to promote British bands internationally and had previously been signed off by the BPI.

Kneecap appealed the ruling and won, as it was deemed that the British government discriminated against the group by stopping this funding. The money they were awarded went to two charities in Catholic and Protestant communities in Belfast. They gave £7,125 to ‘Glór Na Móna’ in Ballymurphy and £7,125 to ‘RCity Belfast’ on the Shankill Road.