Police are assessing a second video from a Kneecap gig, which purportedly reveals the group calling for the demise of Conservative MPs.
As reported by Sky Information, the footage is believed to come back from a present from November 2023 the place one of many West Belfast trio allegedly mentioned to the group: “The one good Tory is a useless Tory. Kill your native MP.”
It follows the information from earlier this week that counter-terror police are assessing footage from a present at London’s O2 Kentish City in November 2024 that seems to point out a band member shouting, “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”, whereas additionally displaying a Hezbollah flag.
Each Hamas and Hezbollah are proscribed terror organisations and it’s an offence beneath the Terrorism Act 2000 to “invite assist for a proscribed organisation”.
Commenting on the second video, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police mentioned on Sunday (April 27): “We had been made conscious of a video on April 22, believed to be from an occasion in November 2024, and it has been referred to the counter-terrorism web referral unit for evaluation and to find out whether or not any additional police investigation could also be required.”
“We’ve got additionally been made conscious of one other video believed to be from an occasion in November 2023.” The evaluation of each clips is meant to “decide whether or not additional police investigation is required”.
NME has contacted the band’s representatives for remark.
In response to the information of the primary clip being assessed, Kneecap shared a submit on X of a graphic which learn, “18 Months Of Genocide Footage Not Beneath Investigation By UK Counter-Terror Police”, with the caption “some details.”
Kneecap have had run-ins with the Conservative Celebration previously – final 12 months, they accused the then-government of trying to “silence” them after their BPI funding was blocked.
The group alleged that the federal government had stopped the funding as a result of their provocative 2019 anti-DUP tour poster, which they claimed “pissed off the Tories”. Then, the court docket dominated that the transfer was the truth is unlawful, and Kneecap have obtained the £14,250 prize, which they distributed to 2 charities in Belfast.
After the information of the primary police evaluation broke this week, Tory chief Kemi Badenoch additionally shared the live performance footage, telling her followers on X: “In authorities I blocked Kneecap getting taxpayer funding. Labour didn’t contest the authorized case the band introduced and so they walked away with £14,250 of OUR cash. Maybe now Labour see Kneecap overtly glorifying evil terror teams, they’ll apologise for rolling over. However I doubt it.”
An anti-Tory sentiment additionally emerged of their controversial units at Coachella this month, the primary of which noticed them main the group in a chant of “Maggie’s in a field”, referring to the late Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
The Coachella performances led to calls from Sharon Osbourne to revoke their working visas. The 2 units on the pageant additionally reportedly left organisers “blindsided” as a result of their overtly political nature, together with displaying pro-Palestine projections on the display screen behind them and inspiring the viewers to chant “Free, Free Palestine”.
Kneecap have since referred to as the controversy “a coordinated smear marketing campaign” towards their efforts in “exposing the continued genocide towards the Palestinian individuals”.
“For over a 12 months, we now have used our reveals to name out the British and Irish governments’ complicity in battle crimes. The latest assaults towards us, largely emanating from the US, are primarily based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods,” they mentioned, including that they’re “taking motion towards a number of of those malicious efforts”.
“The explanation Kneecap is being focused is straightforward — we’re telling the reality, and our viewers is rising,” the assertion learn. “These attacking us wish to silence criticism of a mass slaughter. They weaponize false accusations of antisemitism to distract, confuse, and supply cowl for genocide,” citing “large numbers of Jewish individuals” who’re “outraged by this genocide simply as we’re”.
“What we care about is that governments of the nations we carry out in are enabling among the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes — and we is not going to keep silent. No media spin will change this,” they wrote.
“Our solely concern is the Palestinian individuals — the 20,000 murdered kids and counting.”
They praised the audiences at their reveals, saying that they “see by way of the lies” and “stand on the facet of humanity and justice.”
“And that provides us hope,” they concluded.
The group are reportedly now within the means of securing a brand new sponsor for renewed US visas for his or her October tour after they had been dropped by their former sponsor and reserving agent Unbiased Artist Group (IAG) earlier this week.
Kneecap had been on the duvet of NME in June 2024, the place they spoke about their dislike for violence. “Clearly I can’t communicate for what occurred earlier than me,” mentioned Mo Chara, sharing his sympathy for what previous generations went by way of. “However we don’t assist violence as that doesn’t make any sense any extra.”
Final 12 months, the band shared their ’10 guidelines to reside by’, which included: “Be outspoken, depart your mark and rise up on your individuals. Get up for Palestine, and rise up for oppressed individuals all over the world.”
In step with this rule, in November, Bap raised over £30,000 for Gaza meals parcels by operating 10k a day on tour, the trio made headlines for refusing to take off their Palestine badges in an look on Eire’s Late Late Present, and organized a Gig for Gaza charity present alongside Primal Scream and Paul Weller.
Additionally in 2024, the band joined Large Assault, Nova Twins and extra in condemning the far-right riots throughout the UK following the Southport mass stabbings, and used their large set at Studying Pageant 2024 to denounce anti-immigration riots and “that far-right shite”.
Two British MPs have been murdered previously 10 years – Labour’s Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative David Amess in 2021.
