
BBC Tries To Skirt Kneecap Controversy By Not Showing Band’s Glastonbury Set But Live Streams Another Act Which Leads Crowd Chants Of “Death To The IDF” & “Free Palestine”
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BBC Avoids Kneecap But Live Streams Another Act Leading Crowd Chants Of “Death To The IDF” & “Free Palestine”
The BBC tried to skirt controversial Irish band Kneecap by not showing the group’s Glastonbury set as part of its live wall-to-wall coverage today. Bob Vylan led thousands of crowd-members in chants of “Death, Death To The IDF” [Isreal Defence Force] and “Free, Free Palestine” during their set. The packed crowd was studded with Palestinian flags. The BBC has yet to comment on the performance, which has inevitably sparked both outcry and applause on social media.
However, a group the corporation streamed on iplayer instead of Kneecap had some contentious comments of their own.
British duo Bob Vylan led thousands of crowd-members in chants of “Death, Death To The IDF” [Isreal Defence Force] and “Free, Free Palestine” during their set. The packed crowd was studded with Palestinian flags.
The punk duo, who merge grime, punk rock and hip hop, also reiterated the controversial slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, free.”
The group had a large message for fans on stage: “Free Palestine. United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a “conflict”.”
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The BBC has yet to comment on the performance, which has inevitably sparked both outcry and applause on social media.
Kneecap performed its set to a capacity crowd shortly after Bob Vylan and led the crowd in chants of “Fuck Keir Starmer” and “Free Palestine”. The UK Prime Minister had recently said it was “inappropriate” for the band to play at the festival given the recent legal issues the band has encountered.
Kneecap band member Mo Chara is currently facing terror charges in the UK for allegedly showing support for Hamas and Hezbollah, which are both considered terror organizations by the UK government. This came a few months after counter-terrorism police said they were assessing videos of a bandmember allegedly telling fans at a gig: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
In a Guardian interview yesterday, the band said they were “in character” when displaying a Hezbollah flag. “S**t is thrown on stage all the time. If I’m supposed to know every f***ing thing that’s thrown on stage… I’d be in Mensa, Jesus Christ,” said Mo Chara, AKA Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.
Earlier today, the BBC confirmed that Neil Young’s set will also be shown on TV. Young had the previous day said he did not want his set to be on the BBC.
Kneecap lead Glastonbury in chants against Starmer
Kneecap led Glastonbury crowds in chants of “f*** Keir Starmer” during their set at the festival on Saturday. The group, who hail from Belfast and Derry, have been in the headlines after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. In the run up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for the group to be removed from the line-up. The BBC confirmed they would not be live-streaming the set but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later. The band said on Instagram: “The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us….”They WILL put our set from Glastbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure”During their set, MoChara said: “Glastonbury, I’m a free man” as the Irish rap trio took to the West Holts Stage.
The group, who hail from Belfast and Derry, have been in the headlines after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence.
In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said their performance would not be “appropriate”.
Member Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who performs under the name Móglaí Bap, said: “The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.”
He also said a “big thank you to the Eavis family” and said “they stood strong” amid calls for the organisers to drop them from the line-up.
The band also led crowds in chants of “Free Palestine”, with Mo Chara commenting on the sheer number of flags at the festival.
Earlier in the set, Mo Chara said “Glastonbury, I’m a free man” as the Irish rap trio took to the West Holts Stage at the festival.
The 27-year-old wore a keffiyeh during the set, while member JJ Ó Dochartaigh, who performs under the name DJ Próvai, wore his signature tri-coloured balaclava as well as a T-shirt that said: “We are all Palestine Action” in reference to the soon-to-be banned campaign group.
News broadcasts criticising the hip hop trio played from the sound system before they walked onto the stage were booed by the Glastonbury Festival audience.
Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed around 45 minutes before their performance after groups of fans arrived to form a sea of Irish and Palestinian flags.
Rap punk duo Bob Vylan performed on the stage before Kneecap and led the crowd in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF”.
In the run up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for the group to be removed from the line-up and Prime Minister Keir Starmer said their performance would not be “appropriate”.
Earlier on Saturday, the BBC confirmed they would not be live-streaming the set but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later.
A BBC spokesperson said: “As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
“While the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines.
“We don’t always live-stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap’s performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.”
The crowd ahead of Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury
It is understood the BBC needs to consider the performance before making a final decision.
The band said on Instagram: “The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us….
“They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure.”
During their set Mo Chara said: “The BBC editor is going to have some job.”
Ó hAnnaidh, 27, was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah, while saying “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a gig in November last year.
On 18 June the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in Free Mo Chara T-shirts.
He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on 20 August.
Ahead of the group’s performance, Gemma Gibson, 41, from Newcastle told the PA news agency that she was “really excited” to see Kneecap perform.
Asked if their set should have been cancelled amid the ongoing controversy, she said: “Well, that would be completely against everything that Glastonbury stands for… This is where they should be.”
Source: Press Association
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