Massive Attack Supports Kneecap Amid Controversy

British band Massive Attack have defended Kneecap after one of the rap group’s members appeared to call for Tory MPs to be killed.

Video Emerges

Video has emerged from a November 2023 gig appearing to show one member of the Irish trio saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Kneecap to be banned while other politicians pushed for the group to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival line-up.

Support for Kneecap

A statement on Massive Attack’s Instagram account on Wednesday said: “Language matters of course. The hideous murders of elected politicians Jo Cox and David Amess means there’s no scope for flippancy or recklessness.” It said politicians are “strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band” while ignoring a “genocide” in Gaza.

The statement added: “Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story. And the silence, acquiescence and support of those crimes against humanity by the elected British government is the real story. Solidarity with all artists with the moral courage to speak out against Israeli war crimes, and the ongoing persecution and slaughter of the Palestinian people.”

Pulp, Paul Weller and Primal Scream are also among the notable music names who have defended the trio. In a joint statement, also signed by former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, a group of artists said there has been a “clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform” Kneecap.

Artistic Freedom

It went on: “As artists, we feel the need to register our opposition to any political repression of artistic freedom. In a democracy, no political figures or political parties should have the right to dictate who does and does not play at music festivals or gigs that will be enjoyed by thousands of people.”

The full list of signatories is provided in the full article.