The West Holts stage at Glastonbury Festival has been closed off an hour early ahead of Kneecap’s performance. The hip-hop trio has taken to the stage, but their set will not be live-streamed on the BBC. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that Kneecap’s gig would not be “appropriate” after one of the members was charged with a terror offence. A source told Express Online that the West Holts stage was reportedly “packed” and “full of Palestine flags” as they wait for the band to perform. Prior to Kneecap’s slot, the act before had been chanting “death to the IDF” to the crowd. Punk band Bob Vylan reportedly expressed solidarity with Kneecap amid their terror charge and delivered a long, passionate speech addressing the conflict in the Middle East.
Between his songs, he said, “We are seeing some f***ed up things happening in the world; we are seeing the UK and the US be complicit in war crimes, in genocide happening over there to the Palestinian people. Look, I know we are on the BBC and we aren’t going to say anything crazy, we can leave that for them lads.”
He also continued, “But unfortunately, we have seen a strange reaction to people that come out and voice support for Palestine, even though anybody wth any kind of moral compass can surely tell that what is happening over there in Gaza is a tragedy.”
The performer then ended on a hopeful statement, roaring, “We must pray, hope and wish to see a day where the Palestinian people are liberated and free from the tyranny of the Israeli government. Free Palestine!”
Kneecap’s performance followed on from Bob Vylan on the very same stage.