Police are assessing a second video from a Kneecap gig, which purportedly exhibits the group calling for the loss of life 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 stated to the gang: “The one good Tory is a lifeless 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 underneath the Terrorism Act 2000 to “invite help for a proscribed organisation”.
Commenting on the second video, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police stated on Sunday (April 27): “We have 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 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 put up on X of a graphic which learn, “18 Months Of Genocide Footage Not Below Investigation By UK Counter-Terror Police”, with the caption “some info.”
Kneecap have had run-ins with the Conservative Celebration up to now – final yr, they accused the then-government of making an attempt to “silence” them after their BPI funding was blocked.
The group alleged that the federal government had stopped the funding as a consequence of their provocative 2019 anti-DUP tour poster, which they claimed “pissed off the Tories”. Then, the court docket dominated that the transfer was in actual fact unlawful, and Kneecap have acquired 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 they usually walked away with £14,250 of OUR cash. Maybe now Labour see Kneecap brazenly glorifying evil terror teams, they may 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 gang 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 consequence of their overtly political nature, together with exhibiting pro-Palestine projections on the display behind them and inspiring the viewers to chant “Free, Free Palestine”.
Kneecap have since known as the controversy “a coordinated smear marketing campaign” in opposition to their efforts in “exposing the continued genocide in opposition to the Palestinian folks”.
“For over a yr, now we have used our exhibits to name out the British and Irish governments’ complicity in battle crimes. The latest assaults in opposition to us, largely emanating from the US, are primarily based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods,” they stated, including that they’re “taking motion in opposition to a number of of those malicious efforts”.
“The rationale Kneecap is being focused is easy — we’re telling the reality, and our viewers is rising,” the assertion learn. “These attacking us need to silence criticism of a mass slaughter. They weaponize false accusations of antisemitism to distract, confuse, and supply cowl for genocide,” mentioning “huge numbers of Jewish folks” 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 a few of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes — and we won’t keep silent. No media spin will change this,” they wrote.
“Our solely concern is the Palestinian folks — the 20,000 murdered kids and counting.”
They praised the audiences at their exhibits, saying that they “see via the lies” and “stand on the facet of humanity and justice.”
“And that offers us hope,” they concluded.
The group are reportedly now within the strategy of securing a brand new sponsor for renewed US visas for his or her October tour after they have been dropped by their former sponsor and reserving agent Impartial Artist Group (IAG) earlier this week.
Kneecap have been on the quilt of NME in June 2024, the place they spoke about their dislike for violence. “Clearly I can’t converse for what occurred earlier than me,” stated Mo Chara, sharing his sympathy for what previous generations went via. “However we don’t help violence as that doesn’t make any sense any extra.”
Final yr, the band shared their ’10 guidelines to dwell by’, which included: “Be outspoken, depart your mark and arise in your folks. Arise for Palestine, and arise for oppressed folks all over the world.”
Consistent with this rule, in November, Bap raised over £30,000 for Gaza meals parcels by working 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 huge set at Studying Pageant 2024 to denounce anti-immigration riots and “that far-right shite”.
Two British MPs have been murdered up to now 10 years – Labour’s Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative David Amess in 2021.