Saint-Cloud pulls £34k over Kneecap gig after terror chants and IDF death calls
Paris suburb axes Rock-en-Seine funding after Irish rap trio accused of inciting violence booked to perform
The French town of Saint-Cloud has pulled its £34,000 grant to one of France’s biggest music festivals after discovering Irish rap group Kneecap was on the bill.
The funding for Rock-en-Seine was approved before the full lineup was confirmed, but Saint-Cloud officials say they withdrew it on 3 July following revelations about the Belfast trio’s conduct and past statements.
“Saint-Cloud respects artistic freedom,” said a town hall statement. “But it does not finance political action, nor demands, and even less calls to violence, such as calls to kill lawmakers, whatever their nationality.”
Kneecap, who rap in Irish and English, have made headlines for repeatedly denouncing Israel, displaying terrorist symbols and using inflammatory language. At California’s Coachella festival in April, they projected the words “F*** Israel, Free Palestine” and accused Israel of genocide. Shows in Scotland and Germany were subsequently cancelled over safety fears and backlash.
Band member Liam O’Hanna, 27 – known on stage as Mo Chara – is currently facing a terror charge after allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a London concert last November. He pleaded not guilty.
Their Glastonbury set last month also came under scrutiny after O’Hanna shouted, “Glastonbury, I’m a free man!” before Bob Vylan led the crowd in chants of “Death, death to the IDF” and “Free Palestine”.
Both performances are now under criminal investigation by police, who cited “public order incidents”.
Rock-en-Seine, which takes place between 21-24 August near Paris, has not commented. Kneecap are due to play on the final day.
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