Culture secretary: I don’t want to see Kneecap on our TV screens
Appearing on BBC Politics Live, Lisa Nandy said the anti-Israel rappers 'thrive on the oxygen of publicity'
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said she does not want to see a live performance by the rap group Kneecap aired by the BBC, just days before the Irish trio’s appearance at the Glastonbury Festival.
Saying she agreed “very strongly” with Keir Starmer’s claim that it was inappropriate for the band to perform at the festival at Worthy Farm, Somerset, Nandy added: “This is a band who have thrived on the oxygen of publicity, and as well as the terrorist offences, there have been very serious comments they’ve made encouraging attacks on elected members of parliament, not from my own party, but it is my job to stand up against that. ”
Appearing on the BBC Politics Live show the Labour minister added: “It’s horrific – personally I do not want to see that on TV screens.”
She stressed that in her role it’s “not my job to tell broadcasters what they can or can’t show on TV”, with the BBC likely to broadcast Kneecap’s performance on Saturday afternoon, but after they finish their show.
Asked about the decision to allow Kneecap to perform, Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis said there have been many “heated topics” over the past year, but the festival is open for all to perform at.
One of the band members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, was charged with a terrorist offence last week over allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a London concert.
Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court accompanied by band members Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin) and DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh).
In April Kneecap caused a storm after ending their concert at the Coachella festival with a series of pro-Palestine messages.
The first message said: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” followed by: “It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes,” and a final screen added: “F**k Israel. Free Palestine.”
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