Hip hop Irish trio Kneecap is being investigated by UK counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for politicians to be killed and shouting \u201cup Hamas, up Hezbollah.\u201d <\/p>\n
It comes after the group, who are vocal critics of Israel\u2019s war in Gaza, came under fire for their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging at the Coachella music festival last month. <\/p>\n
The British police investigation follows widespread criticism of the band\u2019s alleged comments, which led to several of their upcoming gigs being canceled. Some lawmakers are also calling for Glastonbury organizers to drop Kneecap from next month\u2019s festival line-up. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, dozens of musicians and artists have signed an open letter supporting the group\u2019s right to freedom of expression. <\/p>\n
In recent days, footage has been circulating online that appears to show one of the group\u2019s members shouting \u201cup Hamas, up Hezbollah\u201d in November last year. Separately, video from November 2023 appeared to show one member of the group, who are from Northern Ireland, saying: \u201cThe only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.\u201d Tory is another word for Conservative, and MP is an abbreviation of Member of Parliament. In the past decade, two British MPs \u2013 Jo Cox and David Amess \u2013 have been murdered. <\/p>\n
Kneecap has apologized to the families of Cox and Amess. It said it has never supported Hamas or Hezbollah and that the footage circulating online has been \u201cdeliberately taken out of all context\u201d as part of a \u201csmear campaign\u201d following their criticism of Israel and the United States in regards to the war in Gaza. <\/p>\n
London\u2019s Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement Thursday that it was aware of the footage and that counter-terrorism officers are investigating. <\/p>\n
\u201cBoth videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos,\u201d the police statement said. <\/p>\n
Katie Amess, daughter of Conservative lawmaker David Amess, who was fatally stabbed in a 2021 attack while meeting with his constituents, has called Kneecap\u2019s rhetoric \u201cabhorrent.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201c(It) poses a direct threat to the safety and well-being of elected officials and the democratic institutions they represent,\u201d she said in a statement provided to the PA Media news agency. <\/p>\n
Amess commended the action taken by law enforcement and called for those who incite \u201cviolence and hatred\u201d to be held accountable. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs a society, we must stand united against all forms of extremism and ensure that our public spaces, including artistic and cultural venues, are not exploited to propagate messages of hate,\u201d Amess said. <\/p>\n
Both videos have been widely circulated online in wake of the band\u2019s Coachella set, where they led the crowd to chant \u201cFree Free Palestine,\u201d criticized Israel\u2019s campaign in Gaza \u2013 which has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, according to the ministry of health there \u2013 and also criticized US support for the war. <\/p>\n