Kneecap member Mo Chara said “Glastonbury, I’m a free man” as the Irish rap trio took to the West Holts Stage at the festival on Saturday.
The group, who hail from Belfast, have been in the headlines after member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence.
The 27-year-old wore a keffiyeh during the set, while member JJ O Dochartaigh, who performs under the name DJ Provai, wore his signature tri-coloured balaclava as well as a T-shirt that said: “We are all Palestine Action” in reference to the soon-to-be banned campaign group.
News broadcasts criticising the hip hop trio played from the sound system before they walked onto the stage were booed by the Glastonbury Festival audience.
Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed around 45 minutes before their performance after groups of fans arrived to form a sea of Irish and Palestinian flags.
Rap punk duo Bob Vylan performed on the stage before Kneecap and led the crowd in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF”.
In the run up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said their performance would not be “appropriate”.
Earlier on Saturday, the BBC confirmed they would not be live-streaming the set but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later.
A BBC spokesperson said: “As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
“While the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines.
“We don’t always live-stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap’s performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.”
It is understood the BBC needs to consider the performance before making a final decision.
The band said on Instagram: “The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us….
“They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure.”
O hAnnaidh, 27, was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah, while saying “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a gig in November last year.
On June 18 the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in Free Mo Chara T-shirts.
He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on August 20.
Ahead of the group’s performance, Gemma Gibson, 41, from Newcastle told the PA news agency that she was “really excited” to see Kneecap perform.
Asked if their set should have been cancelled amid the ongoing controversy, she said: “Well, that would be completely against everything that Glastonbury stands for… This is where they should be.”
Alternative metal band Deftones were due to play on Saturday night but their slot has now been filled by rapper Skepta.
A social media post from Glastonbury Festival said: “Deftones have been forced to cancel tonight’s 8.30pm Other Stage performance due to illness in the band.
“Skepta will kindly step-in, taking the stage at 9pm.
“He says: ‘Let’s go!!! No crew, no production but am ready to shut Glastonbury down. Victory lap time. Pre-Big Smoke 2025!’”
Playing on Saturday afternoon was Leeds rock band Kaiser Chiefs and US star Brandi Carlile, who released an album with Sir Elton John earlier in the year.
Irish singer CMAT, who played the Pyramid Stage on Friday, performed a secret set at the BBC Introducing stage on Saturday.
Neil Young, best known for songs such as Rockin’ In The Free World, Like A Hurricane and Cinnamon Girl, will headline the Pyramid Stage on Saturday night with his band the Chrome Hearts.
The BBC will broadcast Young’s set after previously saying it would not be shown “at the artist’s request”.
Another act expected to draw a big crowd is Brat star Charli XCX, who will headline the Other Stage around the same time Young and Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii will also perform.
Celebrities who have been spotted at the festival include singer Harry Styles, Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, The Crown actor Emma Corrin, and Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn.
Performing in the coveted Sunday legends slot this year is Sir Rod Stewart, who previously said he will be joined by his former Faces band member Ronnie Wood, as well as other guests.
The BBC is providing livestreams of the five main stages: Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park.
