The controversial Belfast rap band Kneecap will still appear at the 2025 Glastonbury music festival in the U.K., organizers announced Tuesday.
Kneecap keeping its Glastonbury billing by performing on the West Holts Stage on June 28 follows political pressure to drop the band after one of its members, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, was charged with a terror offense in the U.K. after an incident on Nov. 21 at a venue in north London.
The group, whose members include Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, has drawn widespread criticism and the attention of the Metropolitan Police after online videos showed the band allegedly calling for the death of British parliament ministers, as well as chanting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah.”
It is illegal in the U.K. to express support for Hezbollah as it is considered a terrorist organization in Britain. And in April, Kneecap displayed political messages about the ongoing war in Gaza during the group’s Coachella set, after which a number of Kneecap concerts in Germany were canceled.
Kneecap, responding to the criticism, apologized to the families of murdered members of Parliament and claimed they have faced “deliberate distortions and falsehoods.” The band also denied they have ever supported Hamas or Hezbollah.
While Glastonbury has retained Kneecap on their billing, the band was dropped from Scotland’s TRNSMT festival for a July 11 concert over police concerns for safety. “Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap can no longer perform at TRNSMT,” the rap group said on X.
Kneecap also announced a replacement concert at the O2 Academy in Glasgow for July 8, which has already sold out. Glastonbury, set to run June 25 to 29 at Worthy Farm, Somerset, gets extensive play on the BBC’s radio and TV services.
