Kneecap

[narwhal]

It's interesting how the band are for some people simultaneously both performative revolutionaries playing with the symbols of resistance and achieving nothing but also potentially very serious supporters of terrorism that the British state needs to clamp down on and are harming the cause they claim to support. 

 

Schrödinger's Kneecap.

 

The whole furore around Kneecap and their support for Palestine is instructive as to the limits of anti-imperialist discourse within the imperial core and the prison of civility that the English have built themselves to live in and under. And of course the pervasive fog of anti-Irish sentiment that lurks in English society, what with spurious terror charges against Irish men being essentially an English passtime. 

[steviewevie]

[philipsteak]

Question for the Irish efestivals contingent. 

How are Kneecap viewed in Ireland? 

Not necessarily by you or your crowd, but much more generally? 

Before and after this sh*t storm kicked off? 

And just to be clear as this is quite a volatile thread (although much less than it could've been) no agenda from me, just interested.

[siblin]

33 minutes ago, narwhal said:

It's interesting how the band are for some people simultaneously both performative revolutionaries playing with the symbols of resistance and achieving nothing but also potentially very serious supporters of terrorism that the British state needs to clamp down on and are harming the cause they claim to support. 

 

Schrödinger's Kneecap.

 

The whole furore around Kneecap and their support for Palestine is instructive as to the limits of anti-imperialist discourse within the imperial core and the prison of civility that the English have built themselves to live in and under. And of course the pervasive fog of anti-Irish sentiment that lurks in English society, what with spurious terror charges against Irish men being essentially an English passtime. 

 

Could also say that for some people they are simultaneously making a serious point through music and shouldnt be censored, but simultanously "don't really mean it".

 

Yeah i know what will be said in response to that - its art and art isnt always telling the truth and is in the eye of the recipient, but the same applies to your statement.  There might be a difference between their intention and how they are recieved.

[Colorblindjames]

51 minutes ago, narwhal said:

It's interesting how the band are for some people simultaneously both performative revolutionaries playing with the symbols of resistance and achieving nothing but also potentially very serious supporters of terrorism that the British state needs to clamp down on and are harming the cause they claim to support. 

 

Schrödinger's Kneecap.

 

The whole furore around Kneecap and their support for Palestine is instructive as to the limits of anti-imperialist discourse within the imperial core and the prison of civility that the English have built themselves to live in and under. And of course the pervasive fog of anti-Irish sentiment that lurks in English society, what with spurious terror charges against Irish men being essentially an English passtime. 

Yes the anti Irish sentiment has been apparent from some on this thread. Some laughably still view Britain as some kind of moral beacon in the world. Gaza has shown this not to be the case. In Ireland we’ve known this for years. Kneecap are simply making the British establishment uncomfortable. 

[Mordy1990]

33 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

Question for the Irish efestivals contingent. 

How are Kneecap viewed in Ireland? 

Not necessarily by you or your crowd, but much more generally? 

Before and after this sh*t storm kicked off? 

And just to be clear as this is quite a volatile thread (although much less than it could've been) no agenda from me, just interested.

 

To be honest, a lot of people i know feel the charges brought against them seem disproportionate, especially considering the broader context. There’s a sense that this whole situation is being used to deflect attention from what's happening in Palestine by some.  

 

Yes, waving a flag at an event may have been unwise or seen as provocative, but labeling it as terrorism seems excessive to many—especially when you consider the actions being supported on the other side. By contrast, arming oppressive regimes or turning a blind eye to humanitarian crises are arguably far more consequential, yet these actions often receive significantly less scrutiny from the same critics who are outraged over a flag.

 

It feels like the more this unfolds, the more support Kneecap seem to be gaining in Ireland especially among younger and politically aware crowds. There’s a real sense that this is bigger than just them — it's about free expression, double standards, and frustration with international inaction. 

 

That’s just my take, of course — plenty of others see it differently, and that’s fair too.

Edited May 23, 2025 by Mordy1990

[steviewevie]

7 minutes ago, Colorblindjames said:

Yes the anti Irish sentiment has been apparent from some on this thread. Some laughably still view Britain as some kind of moral beacon in the world. Gaza has shown this not to be the case. In Ireland we’ve known this for years. Kneecap are simply making the British establishment uncomfortable. 

bit anti Britain that.

[Colorblindjames]

38 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

Question for the Irish efestivals contingent. 

How are Kneecap viewed in Ireland? 

Not necessarily by you or your crowd, but much more generally? 

Before and after this sh*t storm kicked off? 

And just to be clear as this is quite a volatile thread (although much less than it could've been) no agenda from me, just interested.

In Ireland we’ve learned never to trust the British state. This is just the usual b.s.. I think kneecap are viewed positively by the majority who are disgusted with the genocide and the UKs role in it. 

Edited May 23, 2025 by Colorblindjames

[Guest]

As an aside, I don't believe at all that this is why they're doing it, but for a career move this is working great for them. They've got massive interest from people thjat wouldn't have heard of them off the back of all the controversy. Even the predictions of the crowd size at Glastonbury compared to that at Woodsie's last year is huge. 

 

To be clear though, I agree with their position. They are, and will be on the right side of history. Waving a Hezbollah flag as reported was maybe a bit silly. Even if I disagreed with their stance, it would be admirable that they are standing up for their beliefs and principles in the face of such criticism by those in authority.

 

Edited May 23, 2025 by Chip Batch

[Skip997]

27 minutes ago, Mordy1990 said:

 

To be honest, a lot of people i know feel the charges brought against them seem disproportionate, especially considering the broader context. There’s a sense that this whole situation is being used to deflect attention from what's happening in Palestine by some.  

 

Yes, waving a flag at an event may have been unwise or seen as provocative, but labeling it as terrorism seems excessive to many—especially when you consider the actions being supported on the other side. By contrast, arming oppressive regimes or turning a blind eye to humanitarian crises are arguably far more consequential, yet these actions often receive significantly less scrutiny from the same critics who are outraged over a flag.

 

It feels like the more this unfolds, the more support Kneecap seem to be gaining in Ireland especially among younger and politically aware crowds. There’s a real sense that this is bigger than just them — it's about free expression, double standards, and frustration with international inaction. 

 

That’s just my take, of course — plenty of others see it differently, and that’s fair too.

👏

 

Couldn’t have put it better myself. 

[am00]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ_V48jIeuG/?igsh=MTJrM3R4aXdvbjE3MQ==

[Watergirl]

1 hour ago, philipsteak said:

Question for the Irish efestivals contingent. 

How are Kneecap viewed in Ireland? 

Not necessarily by you or your crowd, but much more generally? 

Trad superstar - and Glastonbury regular - Sharon Shannon on the topic:

 

[CaledonianGonzo]

38 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

bit anti Britain that.

 

While I realise that you're just engaging in some centrist snark, the UK government has blood on its hands here too.  They're currently in court defending themselves of a charge of supplying F35 parts to a country engaged in genocide, to say nothing of the hundreds of spy flights they've been doing out of RAF Akrotiri in Cyrprus.  

 

[Toilet Duck]

58 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

Question for the Irish efestivals contingent. 

How are Kneecap viewed in Ireland? 

Not necessarily by you or your crowd, but much more generally? 

Before and after this sh*t storm kicked off? 

And just to be clear as this is quite a volatile thread (although much less than it could've been) no agenda from me, just interested.

To be honest, it's not that they are the sole beacon of support for Palestine, they are merely reflecting the overwhelming sense of anger and frustration in the country about the situation. Personally, they don't do anything for me musically (saw them in Woodsies last year as the rest of my group went, but it was all a bit manufactured for me, right down to the "republican paramilitary cosplay" as Stevie refers to it as...just a bit edgy by numbers (though I get why that member wanted to hide their identity...however, there are less loaded ways to do this, and the choice is part of the shtick)). However, I have a lot of time for what they are doing to popularise the Irish language. Each to their own, but not really my bag (as artists). In terms of standing up to those that don't like them though, they have earned a huge amount of respect. First by going to court to challenge the withdrawal of their arts council grant (and it was a good move to evenly split the grant between nationalist and unionist youth groups when they won). Now they are essentially folk heroes for standing up against the type of abuse Ireland receives almost daily for supporting Palestine (we are constantly accused of being terrorist sympathisers and anti-semites, and our politicians do push back on these charges which are entirely untrue, but levelling the accusation is all that seems to matter these days). I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but proclaiming support for proscribed organisations is completely normalised in Ireland, and however misguided, is seen as defiantly supporting the underlying ideal while conveniently ignoring the atrocities committed by these groups. Membership of such a group is illegal, but you'll find 50000 people happily singing Celtic Symphony at a festival without fear of being hauled up on anti-terror charges. There was some pearl clutching when the Irish women's football team were caught singing it in their dressing room after winning a match, but they weren't up in front of the courts over it! Flags are part of that expression too (we're a bit touchy about them and they cause all sorts of arguments North and South, but there's as many flags about the place as there are in front of the pyramid stage), so while they would have been completely aware that picking it up and waving it would be inflammatory, it's not unusual behaviour (personally, I'm more appalled by their comments about killing MPs which were bloody moronic). Anyway, they were viewed positively before this kicked off and that has only amplified since. 

[cidermonkey]

I reckon the only question the festival will have about Kneecap is whether to move them to a slot on the Other stage with its larger capacity.

[steviewevie]

1 minute ago, cidermonkey said:

I reckon the only question the festival will have about Kneecap is whether to move them to a slot on the Other stage with its larger capacity.

yeah, early slot on Other or Pyramid I reckon.

[TheDayman]

Okay, I'm going to try to answer this -
 

52 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

Question for the Irish efestivals contingent. 

How are Kneecap viewed in Ireland? 

Not necessarily by you or your crowd, but much more generally? 

Before and after this sh*t storm kicked off? 

And just to be clear as this is quite a volatile thread (although much less than it could've been) no agenda from me, just interested.

And this -

 

42 minutes ago, siblin said:

 

Could also say that for some people they are simultaneously making a serious point through music and shouldnt be censored, but simultanously "don't really mean it".

While peppering in a bit of Irish history, nationalism, and why the plight of the Palestinians resonates so deeply with people in Ireland…
 

Let’s start with Kneecap. They make serious political statements, but they do it through humour, satire, and provocation. These aren’t contradictions, they’re tools. It’s not a gimmick or a cynical grab for attention. They care about the issues they raise. Their use of absurdity and contradiction is meant to challenge people, to make them uncomfortable enough to think. This now 47-page thread is proof of that!
 

So, how are they seen in Ireland? Well, it depends on who you ask. Among younger people, especially those into music, activism, or from the North, Kneecap are seen as a vital voice. They’ve made the Irish language cool again. They speak to the frustration of growing up in a supposedly post-conflict society that still feels divided and ignored.

Others see them as too provocative. Some think they glorify the past or are just being edgy for the sake of it.

But wherever you land, let’s not pretend the Good Friday Agreement fixed everything. It was a huge achievement, yes. It demilitarised armed groups and brought relative peace. But Northern Ireland still has deep sectarian divisions, ongoing political instability, economic inequality, and a widespread mistrust of the police and justice system.

And then throw Brexit in on top of that.
 

If you think that sounds exaggerated, just Google “July 12th bonfires” and look at the effigies burned on them - like the image of a Catholic being hung from a noose.
 

When it comes to Gaza though, there’s far more unity in Ireland. As a country, we grew up with stories of colonisation, of famine, of forced emigration. We see parallels between Palestine and our own history. But it’s not just parallels, we actually have a shared history too.
 

During the Irish War of Independence (1920-1921), the British government recruited a brutal auxiliary force known as the Black and Tans to support the RIC. Many were demobilised WWI soldiers. They quickly gained infamy for their violence against civilians, burning towns and carrying out extrajudicial killings. Their actions left a scar that’s still talked about in Irish schools and households today.
 

After the Irish Free State was formed in 1922, the Black and Tans were disbanded but not forgotten. And here’s where it links to Palestine: some of those same men were later sent to enforce British rule in Mandatory Palestine. They brought the same tactics - community repression, divide-and-conquer policing, and brutal counter-insurgency.
 

So hopefully that gives some insight into why Kneecap strike a chord with many of us in Ireland (it’s become very easy to spot the Irish here!) and why for us, it’s probably not a simple binary debate. It‘s why us Irish (who are the 11th largest humanitarian donor per capita in the world!) feel such strong solidarity with Palestine. It’s not just about politics. It’s personal, it’s historical and it’s ongoing.

And finally, just to close this out, I want to offer a bit of clarity. When most progressive Irish people (and I know I’m taking a bit of a leap speaking for others) talk about British colonialism, it’s not about hating English people. Not at all (well… maybe a little during the Six Nations 😉). But seriously, it’s more about being tuned in to our own history and having a critical view of the legacy of British colonialism, not of British people themselves.
 

In fact, Glastonbury is a great example of what’s best about Britain. I often describe it back home as having this wonderful sense of British politeness and friendliness. Unfortunately, here in Ireland, it doesn’t take long for the worst of Irish culture to make an appearance at festivals to ruin things!

 

[TheDayman]

44 minutes ago, Toilet Duck said:

To be honest, it's not that they are the sole beacon of support for Palestine, they are merely reflecting the overwhelming sense of anger and frustration in the country about the situation. Personally, they don't do anything for me musically (saw them in Woodsies last year as the rest of my group went, but it was all a bit manufactured for me, right down to the "republican paramilitary cosplay" as Stevie refers to it as...just a bit edgy by numbers (though I get why that member wanted to hide their identity...however, there are less loaded ways to do this, and the choice is part of the shtick)). However, I have a lot of time for what they are doing to popularise the Irish language. Each to their own, but not really my bag (as artists). In terms of standing up to those that don't like them though, they have earned a huge amount of respect. First by going to court to challenge the withdrawal of their arts council grant (and it was a good move to evenly split the grant between nationalist and unionist youth groups when they won). Now they are essentially folk heroes for standing up against the type of abuse Ireland receives almost daily for supporting Palestine (we are constantly accused of being terrorist sympathisers and anti-semites, and our politicians do push back on these charges which are entirely untrue, but levelling the accusation is all that seems to matter these days). I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but proclaiming support for proscribed organisations is completely normalised in Ireland, and however misguided, is seen as defiantly supporting the underlying ideal while conveniently ignoring the atrocities committed by these groups. Membership of such a group is illegal, but you'll find 50000 people happily singing Celtic Symphony at a festival without fear of being hauled up on anti-terror charges. There was some pearl clutching when the Irish women's football team were caught singing it in their dressing room after winning a match, but they weren't up in front of the courts over it! Flags are part of that expression too (we're a bit touchy about them and they cause all sorts of arguments North and South, but there's as many flags about the place as there are in front of the pyramid stage), so while they would have been completely aware that picking it up and waving it would be inflammatory, it's not unusual behaviour (personally, I'm more appalled by their comments about killing MPs which were bloody moronic). Anyway, they were viewed positively before this kicked off and that has only amplified since. 

Spot on - couldn't agree more.

[AcidCasual]

I'm more afraid that this is all masking how sh*t the govenment really are and what they're overal objectives are this term. They're coming after the easy and glamarous targets to boost their own popularity. Showing they're tough on terroism by going after Kneecap is such an easy win for them to prove to the Right minded people that they are doing important work

 

Ignoring standing up for those that need it, Labour have changed so much (well pretty similiar to the monster that was Tony Blair who is now being propped up by the fossil fuel industry)

 

Sorry for taking a different turn.

[steviewevie]

19 minutes ago, AcidCasual said:

I'm more afraid that this is all masking how sh*t the govenment really are and what they're overal objectives are this term. They're coming after the easy and glamarous targets to boost their own popularity. Showing they're tough on terroism by going after Kneecap is such an easy win for them to prove to the Right minded people that they are doing important work

 

Ignoring standing up for those that need it, Labour have changed so much (well pretty similiar to the monster that was Tony Blair who is now being propped up by the fossil fuel industry)

 

Sorry for taking a different turn.

Both UK and Irish governments condemned what they said...but they're not getting banned are they...the UK govt bloke said it was up to festivals and venues what they do. Apart from that they haven't had a lot to do with it.

Edited May 23, 2025 by steviewevie

[steviewevie]

Actually they lost some funding...but not sure they're going to need it now that they will be selling out stadiums and moving a lot of Irish flag balaclavas on the back of this.

[TheDayman]

6 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Both UK and Irish governments condemned what they said...but they're not getting banned are they...the UK govt bloke said it was up to festivals and venues what they do. Apart from that they haven't had a lot to do with it.

You've completely missed the objective - blocking a few festivals is short-term. Terrorism charges have far wider reaching and significant ramifications.

These charges could stop the group from being able to gain visas to tour in the US and Europe - an objective that is widely and publicly vocalised by the pro-Israeli lobby groups going after them.

Edited May 23, 2025 by TheDayman

[steviewevie]

2 minutes ago, TheDayman said:

You've completely missed the objective - blocking a few festivals is short-term. Terrorism charges have far wider reaching and significant ramifications.

These charges could stop the group from being able to gain visas to tour in the US and Europe - an objective that is widely and publicly vocalised by the pro-Israeli lobby groups going after them.

Yeah, but that isn't government doing that, that's the police...after these videos were made public.

[ghostdancer1]

6 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Yeah, but that isn't government doing that, that's the police...after these videos were made public.

If you think there hasn't been some political pressure for the police move this quickly and a charge to be brought, considering how long other investigations take, then I've got some magic beans to sell you.

[TheDayman]

 

9 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Yeah, but that isn't government doing that, that's the police...after these videos were made public.

The police technically bring the charges, but they don’t operate in a vacuum. Your statement deliberately downplays how political the case is.

You're also completely disregarding the timing of these videos - videos that have been online for years but have only surfaced as an issue now.

Groups like Creative Community for Peace and others have been very clear in their objective - to cut off Kneecap’s ability to tour internationally, and they’ve lobbied to achieve that using whatever means available.

How about a simple question - given you agree with the charges, what punishment do you think is most fitting? 

Edited May 23, 2025 by TheDayman