Kneecap respond as counter-terrorism police assess gig footage

IRISH language rap group Kneecap have spoken out for the first time after it was revealed counter-terrorism police are assessing footage of one of their performances.

Clips posted online appear to show one member of the group shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a performance at the Kentish Town Forum in London in November, as well as a Hezbollah flag being displayed.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are banned in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.”

Kneecap have issued a response after news of the assessment broke, sharing a graphic on Twitter/X which read: "18 Months Of Genocide Footage Not Under Investigation By UK Counter-Terror Police".

Sharing the graphic, the group added: "Some facts".

(Image: @KNEECAPCEOL via Twitter/X) Kneecap, a hip-hop trio from West Belfast, Northern Ireland, have already come under fire for their performance at Coachella on April 18, with Sharon Osbourne calling for their US work visas to be revoked.

They ended their set at the second weekend of Coachella with three messages on a screen that read: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people”, “It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes” and “F*** Israel. Free Palestine.”