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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think Kneecap’s planned Glastonbury Festival performance is “appropriate”.
Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been in court charged with a terror offence, relating to allegedly displaying a flag at a gig in November in support of Hezbollah which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK.
Asked by the Sun if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, Keir Starmer said: “No, I don’t, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this.
“This is about the threats that shouldn’t be made, I won’t say too much because there’s a court case on, but I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
The BBC has approached Glastonbury Festival.
In a post on social media on Saturday evening, Kneecap responded to the prime minister’s comments.
The band said: “You know what’s ‘not appropriate’ Keir?!” They then used an expletive to accuse the prime minister of arming a genocide.
Israel has strongly denied allegations of genocide relating to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Mr Ó hAnnaidh, charged under the name Liam O’Hanna, was released on unconditional bail after Wednesday’s hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The prime minister’s comments came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC “should not be showing” Kneecap’s performance at the festival next week.
Badenoch said in an X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: “The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda.
“One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act.
“As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.”
Responding to the Tory leader’s comments, a BBC spokesperson said as the
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