Glastonbury Festival organisers have issued a rare warning that they may be forced to close part of the festival site ahead of a highly anticipated and politically charged performance by Irish hip hop group Kneecap.
The Belfast trio - Mo Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh - are due to perform on the West Holts Stage at 4pm today.
Festival officials say they are expecting "a large audience," and have advised non-attendees to avoid the area. In a statement, Glastonbury warned: “Please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures.”
It follows weeks of controversy surrounding the group after frontman Ó hAnnaidh was charged under the Terrorism Act for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and chanting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” during a gig in London last November. He is currently on unconditional bail and is due to appear in court again in August.
The incident has drawn intense political scrutiny. Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week called for the group to be dropped from the Glastonbury line-up. Asked whether he believed the performance should go ahead, Starmer said: “No, I don’t. I think we need to come down really clearly on this… I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the House of Commons, went further, calling on the BBC to refrain from broadcasting Kneecap’s set. “The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda,” she posted on social media. “One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.”
The group is not currently listed in the BBC’s Glastonbury broadcast schedule.
Kneecap, known for mixing Irish language, political messaging and hip hop, responded to the controversy in a defiant post on social media. “14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us,” the statement read.
“We do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. Footage has been taken deliberately out of context as part of a coordinated smear campaign.”
Police presence around the site is expected to be heightened. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed a visible 24/7 uniformed presence will remain in place across the festival grounds, adding that their priority is “ensuring it is safe for everyone attending, as well as those who live nearby.”
The West Holts Stage, typically home to alternative and politically conscious acts, has rarely seen this level of security concern or public scrutiny.
