Kneecap: Counter terrorism police investigating Kneecap movies

Abigail Taylor

BBC Information NI

PA Media Mo Chara, left, is wearing a black sweatshirt and looking directly at the camera. He had short brown hair. DJ Provai, middle, is wearing a yellow and green patterned polo top and a black zipper jacket. He is looking directly at the camera and has a beard and ginger hair. Moglai Bap, is wearing a black zip up coat. He is wearing sunglasses on his head and has short brown hair. — Kneecap are an Irish-speaking rap trio who’ve courted controversy with their provocative lyrics and merchandise

The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror officers will examine on-line movies displaying rap trio Kneecap calling for the loss of life of British MPs and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.

A video emerged of the west Belfast trio at a November 2023 gig showing to indicate one individual from the band saying: “The one good Tory is a lifeless Tory. Kill your native MP.”

Each Hamas and Hezbollah are banned within the UK and it’s a crime to specific help for them.

Some gigs that includes the band have since been cancelled within the controversy.

On Thursday, the Met Police stated: “On April 22, we had been made conscious of a web-based video believed to be from a music occasion in London in November 2024.

“Following this, we had been made conscious of an additional video, believed to be from one other music occasion in London in November 2023.

“Each movies had been referred to the Counter Terrorism Web Referral Unit for evaluation by specialist officers, who’ve decided there are grounds for additional investigation into potential offences linked to each movies.

“The investigation is now being carried out by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command and inquiries stay ongoing right now.”

In a press release earlier this week, Kneecap stated they rejected “any suggestion that we might search to incite violence towards any MP or particular person. Ever.”

They acknowledged that “an extract of footage, intentionally taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it had been a name to motion”.

Referring to 2 MPs who’ve been murdered within the UK in recent times, the trio added: “To the Amess and Cox households, we ship our heartfelt apologies, we by no means meant to trigger you damage.”

The group go by the stage names of Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí and Móglaí Bap

Reuters Three men are standing smiling for a photo. Left, is wearing a black coat and holding a glass. He is smiling at the camera and has short brown hair. The one in the middle is wearing a grey tartan suit and a red tie. He is also wearing a balaclava which is green white and orange striped. On the right, a man has his arms around the one in the middle. He is wearing a dark coloured jacket and has short black hair. — The group go by the stage names of Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí and Móglaí Bap

Kneecap have confronted criticism and business penalties after displaying messages concerning the battle in Gaza throughout their set at US music competition Coachella earlier this month.

They had been dropped by their sponsor and reserving agent Unbiased Artist Group (IAG) and former X Issue decide Sharon Osbourne referred to as for Kneecap’s US work visas to be revoked.

Following this, footage emerged from a earlier gig, which is now underneath investigation by counter-terrorism officers.

Artists help Kneecap

Various artists have signed a joint assertion in help of Kneecap.

Fontaines DC, Annie Mac, Bicep, Huge Assault, Pulp, Paul Weller and Christy Moore are among the many artists who signed the open letter by Kneecap’s document label, Heavenly Recordings.

The assertion stated there had been a “clear, concerted try to censor and in the end deplatform” the band.

It accused “senior political figures” in Westminster and the UK media of being “brazenly engaged in a marketing campaign to take away Kneecap from the general public eye”.

“As artists, we really feel the necessity to register our opposition to any political repression of inventive freedom,” the assertion added.

“In a democracy, no political figures or political events ought to have the precise to dictate who does and doesn’t play at music festivals or gigs that shall be loved by hundreds of individuals.”