From the beginning of 2025 the name of the Irish band ‘Kneecap’ has become a staple fixture in right-wing scapegoat and antagonistic headlines. Still, the West Belfast-born Hip-Hop trio have had no difficulty demonstrating how any attempt at censorship is counterproductive. Delving deeper into the band’s background, you’ll find that their censorship began long before their Coachella ‘controversy’, which sparked a worldwide smear campaign for their calling out of the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
In 2017, Kneecap’s debut single C.E.A.R.T.A was banned by the RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) for ‘drug references and cursing.’ The song is a tongue-in-cheek caricature of life in West Belfast, and the experience of Kneecap themselves. In Kneecap’s titular and BAFTA award-winning film, the band retell the way in which this first instance of censorship essentially resulted in a sold-out show at the Telegraph Building: ‘West Belfast persecuted our prosecution by purchasing our tickets’, stated Mo Chara.
In 2023, Kneecap applied for a grant from the Music Export Growth Scheme, which was initially accepted. The scheme is a government-backed arts programme, providing funding for UK artists to promote their music overseas. However, in June 2023, then UK business secretary Kemi Badenoch (now leader of the Conservative Party/ opposition) blocked the funding, as she did not believe that taxpayers’ money should be handed to people who “oppose the United Kingdom itself.” Thus, the UK government acted illegally in discriminating due to the band’s political views, and Kneecap took them to court for breaking their own law.
Kneecap won the case, and the government were ordered to pay the band £14,250 – the amount the initial grant was for. “For us, this action was never about £14,250, it could have been 50 pence. The motivation was equality. This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap” stated DJ Próvaí. The band announced in a social media post that they split the money equally between two youth organisations – one Protestant, one Catholic. Kneecap’s actions and remarks very much rely on principle.
It is blatant that all their remarks are a form of bait to provoke political parties and ideologies, and their reactions often leave Kneecap’s ethos proven right – they are community-driven, and an important voice for justice in North of Ireland. Their solidarity does not just stand with their own communities, though. For many years, Kneecap have vocally condemned Israel for occupying and committing genocide on the people of Palestine. During their Coachella 2025 performance, Mo Chara stated: “The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the skies with nowhere to go. The Palestinians have nowhere to go.” The government and press are terrified by Kneecap’s challenge and confrontation, and their censorship makes their messages a million times louder, calling on fans to question the authenticity and motivations behind their censorship.
On Saturday 28th June the BBC refused to live broadcast Kneecap’s set at Glastonbury, claiming the performance was ‘high-risk’. Ironically, they broadcast Bob Vylan’s set instead, an English punk rap duo, known for their criticism of the British establishment. They used the opportunity to raise support for Palestine, rallying the crowd to chant “Free free Palestine” and “Death Death to the IDF”, which the BBC aired. This, much like Kneecap’s support of Palestine has been vilified in the media, with allegations of antisemitism. The duo criticised these accusations stating “We are not for the death of jews, arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use ‘unnecessary lethal force’ against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.”
In response, Avon and Somerset Police launched an investigation into the artists for comments made during their sets. Kneecap clapped back at this clear ‘political policing intimidation, stating ‘every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close.’ This was deemed true as after consulting the Crown Prosecution Service, they announced there would be no further action taken against the group due to ‘insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence’.
It’s not just Kneecap denouncing the UK government’s complacency in genocide. Over 400 media figures, including 111 BBC employees, signed an open letter to Director General Tim Davies, voicing ‘concerns over opaque editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine”. Furthermore, over 200 writers have signed a recent letter, entitled Writers for Gaza, calling for a trade boycott against Israel until the people of Gaza are given urgent food, water and aid. Amongst the signatories are authors Zadie Smith, Hanif Kureishi, Michael Rosen, and Ian McEwan. The letter is a heartfelt and immediate call for action:
“We propose that this boycott be sustained until the United Nations declares the civilian population of Gaza is safe and in receipt of adequate food and aid. The children of Gaza, like all children, are the children of all of us, and the future of our world. In their name, we call for and observe this boycott.”
On 20th August 2025, Mo Chara appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ court on ‘terrorism’ charges, relating to a charge he received in May for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London concert the previous November. Whilst inside the court he was threatened with the label of terrorist, outside he was met with a large crowd of supporters waving Palestinian and Irish flags chanting “Free Mo Chara”. The rapper denied the offence, denouncing the accusations as a ‘carnival of distraction’ from the genocide in Gaza. Once again, an attempt to silence Kneecap’s views on justice through antagonisation and criminalisation has proven unsuccessful in the face of their artistic integrity and strong opposition to moral injustices globally.
Despite immense support from fans and artists, such as Massive Attack, the court has been adjourned until the 26th of September. Fans and artists raised scepticism over this, as this date is incredibly close to their sold-out US tour. Today, 25th August 2025, the group announced the cancellation of all 15 US tour dates, spanning throughout October. The band confirmed this is ‘due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London’.
Hundreds of artists, including Massive Attack have come forward to support Mo Chara and the band in their message, demonstrating that Kneecap cannot be smeared as a singular radical group within the music industry as the mainstream press has done. The censorship and antagonisation of Kneecap is not only ineffective, but also counterproductive- their fanbase is reaching all corners as a result, and they’re craving to hear an alternative to the status quo. As the British government continues taking increasing steps towards authoritarianism, we need to continue to speak out against the government’s funding and abhorrent ties to genocide.
Even after the UN finally declared the famine in Gaza, the British government continues to facilitate it, reportedly close to signing a £2 billion contract with Elbit Israel’s main weapons manufacturer. It raises the question of how far this government will go to scapegoat and vilify musicians calling out the insidious ethnic cleansing that British taxpayers’ money is going towards.
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