The Taoiseach has called on the Belfast rap group Kneecap to “urgently clarify” alleged comments attributed to band members around support for Hamas and Hizbullah, and the killing of Conservative MPs.
Micheál Martin commented after a video emerged of the group at a November 2023 gig appearing to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
Police in the UK are examining the footage, along with a video clip from another concert in November 2024 in which a member of the band appeared to shout “Up Hamas, up Hizbullah”. Both groups are banned as terrorist organisations in the UK, and it is a crime to express support for them.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin on Monday, the Taoiseach said it is “important” the band clarifies its position. “Have they, or do they, support Hamas and Hizbullah? Because that would be unacceptable,” he said.
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It is his view that Hizbullah is responsible for the murder of Pte Seán Rooney, an Irish solider killed in Lebanon in 2022.
“Hamas and Hizbullah have views that are absolutely … not just views but participated in terrorist activities and appalling killing of innocent people, as witnessed on October 7th,“ he said.
“It’s not clear to me that they do, that Kneecap does support Hizbullah and Hamas. It’s been asserted that they have made commentary in support of both. I think they need to urgently clarify that.
“Again, I haven’t heard in respect [of the comments about MPs], but again we’ve had some horrific events in terms of the killing of MPs in Britain, so there’s a huge responsibility on everybody to be very, very focused in terms of the protection of public representatives.”
Free speech must be facilitated, but life, security and people’s safety are a “different issue”, he said.
A Co Down-based lawyer with a special interest in free-speech cases described the investigation by counterterrorism detectives as “utterly heavy-handed”.
Simon Chambers, who saw Kneecap perform at a music festival in Belgium last summer, said he believes there is an “element of the witch hunt starting up”.
“For the Metropolitan Police to be investigating this – in the context of a concert – from an anti-terrorist perspective is just absolutely ludicrous,” the solicitor said.
“Yes, it’s unsavoury, but we’ve had this before with The Wolfe Tones. Everything becomes political here … and just seems to get disproportionate attention.”
Censoring bands like Kneecap will be “counterproductive”, according to Mr Chambers, as it will put their supporters “further to the fringes”.
“I do think they got a bit carried away [in relation to Palestinian chanting]. But then a lot of bands are doing that. It’s just a cause du jour.”
Féile an Phobail, the west Belfast arts festival, which has showcased Kneecap in recent years, said that it “stands firmly” with the band.
“Kneecap weren’t born during the Troubles, and for me they’re using their platform to express what they’re seeing around the world,” said Féile director Kevin Gamble.
“They’re using that platform to rightfully call out the ongoing genocide that we are seeing in Palestine.”
Asked to comment on alleged remarks made about “killing” Conservative MPs, Mr Gamble said he hadn’t seen the video but ”there is no way they’re standing on stage asking people to go out and do something like that”.
Downing Street has condemned Kneecap; the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has called for a prosecution.
Keir Starmer’s spokesman said the prime minister believed the comments were “completely unacceptable” and “condemns them in the strongest possible terms”.
Kneecap’s manager and solicitor were contacted for comment.
