By Paul Sandle
GLASTONBURY, England (Reuters) -Irish hip-hop group Kneecap will perform at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday despite criticism by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and pressure from some in the music industry to pull the gig.
Frontman Liam O’Hanna, whose stage name is Mo Chara, was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November.
He was mobbed by supporters chanting “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara” when he appeared at court in London. He was released on unconditional bail until another hearing in August.
Footage has also emerged of the band saying on stage: “Kill your local MP” and “The only good Tory is a dead Tory.”
They have apologised for the comments about killing an MP.
Starmer told the Sun newspaper earlier in June it was “not appropriate” for Kneecap, who rap in Irish and English, to appear at Glastonbury.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch has also commented, saying the BBC, which broadcasts the festival, should not show them.
Some 30 music industry bosses asked organisers to pull Kneecap from the line-up, according to a letter leaked by the DJ Toddla T, cited by the Guardian.
In response, more than 100 musicians have signed a public letter in support of the group.
Kneecap’s manager Dan Lambert said the group had expected calls for the group’s performance to be cancelled.
“We knew that the biggest pressure would come on Glastonbury because Glastonbury’s an institution,” he told Reuters.
But it had not been an issue for organisers.
“We didn’t bring it up and they didn’t bring it up,” he said on site at Worthy Farm. “They treated us professionally.”
Organiser Emily Eavis said on Wednesday the festival was a platform for artists from all over the world, adding that “everyone is welcome here”.
The footage of O’Hanna displaying the flag came to light after the Northern Irish trio projected pro-Palestinian messages on stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April, ending with: “Fuck Israel. Free Palestine.”
Kneecap, whose other members have the stage names Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí, have said they do not support Hamas or Hezbollah.
O’Hanna said on Friday the group were “playing characters” on stage, and it was up to the audience to interpret their messages.
“Take what you want from it, but we’re not going to change in that way,” he told the Guardian newspaper.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle. Editing by Jane Merriman)
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