Glastonbury is upon us, and hundreds of thousands of campers are on their way to the festival.
But not everyone is in the party mood. Kneecap is due to perform this weekend - despite the UK Prime Minister branding their show " inappropriate.”
The punk rock Irish trio is expected to draw a massive crowd at the Worthy Farm festival when they take to the West Holts stage on Saturday.
However, criticism from several UK politicians has prompted questions about whether the BBC will air their performance over the weekend as part of their live streaming.
“The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda,” said the Conservatives’ Kemi Badenoch, while Starmer told The Sun, “I don't think that's appropriate."
In response to Starmer’s remarks, Kneecap wrote on social media: “You know what's "not appropriate" Keir?! Arming a f***ing genocide... F*** The Sun and solidarity with Palestine Action.”
As with previous years, the BBC usually broadcasts footage from a number of festival stages throughout the sunny weekend, but not all performances are streamed live.
So will the BBC air Kneecap’s performance?
What’s the problem?
Some people see Kneecap as a controversial band.
Kneecap has staunchly protested Israel’s brutal attacks in the Gaza Strip, that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians, including many civilian women and children.
One of the band members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, was also charged with a terrorist offence last week over allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a London gig. The group denied the offence and said they never supported Hamas or Hezbollah, while maintaining that the charge forms part of a campaign to gag them for their support for Palestine.
Their performances have seemingly offended some people. Despite backlash from politicians over their anti-genocide stance, Kneecap also has a massive fanbase of people who also oppose Israel’s ongoing attacks on civilians in Gaza.
“Kneecap’s performance carries symbolic meaning which translates further than just their fantastic music,” one fan attending Glasto told The Standard. “They represent solidarity, anti-establishment, and are a voice for the youth and those who want peace and liberation across the world. Always trust the Irish.”
More than 100 artists have also signed an open letter in support of Kneecap, including Massive Attack and Annie Mac, over concerns about the political repression of artistic freedom.
Although several political elites called for Kneecap to be cancelled from Glastonbury, it looks like the show will go ahead.
As they gear up to perform in front of Glasto audiences, the punk rap band also continued to raise awareness of the Palestinians’ suffering, writing today: “It's now clear from the Israeli occupation forces own figures that they've murdered over 377,000 people so far in Gaza.... That's more than 100 times the death toll in the North of Ireland over 30 years...they have slaughtered in 20 months. Unforgivable...the most evil regime on earth.”
When are Kneecap playing at Glastonbury 2025?
Kneecap are performing on the West Holts stage at Glastonbury 2025 on June 28 at 4pm.
The BBC usually broadcasts a live stream from the festival’s five main stages, which include the West Holts stage, the Pyramid, Other, Woodsies, and The Park.
Will the BBC air Kneecap?
In short, the answer is no - but not because of the controversy surrounding the Irish band.
The BBC does not start airing its Glastonbury coverage until 5pm daily, and with Kneecap performing at 4pm, they will not be featured.
However, the BBC told The Standard it ‘doesn’t ban artists’.
In a statement, a representative said: “As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers.
“Whilst the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead up to the festival.”
