‘They can’t stop us’ – Kneecap hit out at John Swinney at Glasgow show

Irish rap trio Kneecap have hit out at First Minister John Swinney during a performance in Glasgow, following months of controversy over their public statements and police safety fears.

The group were due to headline the King Tut’s stage on Friday at TRNSMT but were dropped from the bill after a public outcry over footage showing band member Mo Chara holding a Hezbollah flag.

They were then booked to headline the city’s O2 Academy instead – a show that sold out in 80 seconds.

Swinney was among those who said Kneecap should not be allowed to perform at the festival – which the trio appeared to address 10 minutes into their set.

Liam Ó hAnnaidh asked the crowd “What’s your first minister’s name?” before directing an expletive at Swinney and adding: “They stopped us playing TRNSMT but they can’t stop us playing Glasgow.”

The band – consisting of Ó hAnnaidh, DJ Provai, and Moglai Bap – said they did not believe the TRNSMT cancellation was the festival’s fault.

The group later said the festival row had suggested their gigs were “hate-fests” but that they were about inclusion and tolerance.

However their anger towards certain politicians showed as they led a chant against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, echoing highly-charged moments seen at the group’s Glastonbury set.

Starmer had previously called for the band to be dropped from the Worthy Farm bill.

The chants were reprised again just prior to the end of the band’s set, which concluded with The Recap, about their victorious court battle with the UK government over a funding grant.

Ahead of the Glasgow performance, a small group of pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered near the O2 Academy, welcoming the band when they arrived at about 17:00.

Kneecap posted a “hats off” to the activists on X, saying they were “buzzing to play one of our favourite cities”.

The activists remained outside as fans queued to get in, frequently chanting “from the river to the sea”, referring to the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean.

Critics of the chant say it is antisemitic and implicitly calls for the destruction of Israel.

Police Scotland stated they had made three arrests at the show, with a woman arrested in connection with failing to leave a licensed premises, and a man and a woman arrested in connection with a breach of the peace.

Later in their Academy set, the band turned their attention to Rangers football club – firstly making a derogatory joke about supporters of the Ibrox club.

However, they later said they had “more in common with a poor Rangers fan than a rich Celtic fan”, as part of a speech about working class unity.

Many fans came to the gig wearing Celtic tops and waving the Irish Tricolour, while Bap wore a Celtic shirt throughout the gig.

The group made frequent references to the Parkhead side during the 75-minute set, which were greeted with roars of approval and chanting from fans.

Ó hAnnaidh also issued an expletive-laden critique of Israel, though added he meant “the government, not the people”.

And the biggest reaction all night arguably came when Ó hAnnaidh said the British government had “done nothing for Ireland and nothing for Glasgow”.

Kneecap are no strangers to political statements or clashes with governments.

The band’s name is a reference to kneecapping, a punishment deployed by paramilitaries during the Troubles in Ireland when they would shoot people in the knees.

However, recent months have seen the group’s notoriety dramatically increase.

Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence over the display of a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a London gig in November last year.

He was released on unconditional bail after appearing in a London court on 18 June.

The band also faced criticism after footage emerged from a 2023 gig appearing to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”

Although the Metropolitan Police initially investigated the video, the force declined to take further action due to the offences being beyond the statutory time limit for prosecution.

Kneecap said footage of their comments and of them holding the Hezbollah flag had been taken out of context.

The group claim the controversy is part of a smear campaign against them, due to their support for Palestine and criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which they describe as genocide.

The row over Kneecap’s MP comments saw Swinney intervene to say the group had “crossed a line” and should not play TRNSMT, which takes place on Glasgow Green every July.

He said: “It would be unacceptable to perform on such a stage given the fact their comments are so beyond the pale.”

Organisers DF Concerts did not comment at the time but Police Scotland became involved on 22 May.

The force said a “significant policing operation” would be required if the trio were allowed to play at the festival.

Days later the band posted on social media that they had been removed from the bill.