The Irish rap group Kneecap, which set off controversy at the Coachella festival in April with strong statements against the Israeli government’s war in Gaza, has canceled all of its upcoming U.S. tour dates in October. In a statement on social media, the band said the cancellation is due to scheduling conflicts with band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh’s next court hearing in London.
However, the two Canadian shows on the tour, in Vancouver and Toronto, will go ahead as scheduled.
Ó hAnnaidh — who performs as Mo Chara — was charged with displaying a flag of the Lebanese political organization Hezbollah during a London concert in November. He has denied the charges and says the group does not support Hamas or Hezbollah. The case has been adjourned until Sept. 26.
In a statement released on social media, the band said that “due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London to the first date of the tour” they have to “cancel all 15 tour dates in October.”
“With every show fully sold out, to tens of thousands of fans, this is news we are sad to deliver. But once we win our court case, which we will, we promise to embark on an even bigger tour to all you great heads.”
The band promised that it will “be sharing something very special for U.S. fans next week so we can still link with you all in October. It’s top secret for now but all will be revealed next week.”
Despite the group’s statements, its welcome for this U.S. tour was in question. The war in Gaza has been an especially divisive issue in the United States and the group’s comments met with a strong negative response from many quarters, including in the music industry. The group, which claimed it was being hit with “false accusations of antisemitism,” split with its booking agency, the Independent Artists Group, after its performance during Coachella’s first weekend.
“Since our statements at Coachella — exposing the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people — we have faced a coordinated smear campaign,” the group wrote in a social media post on X at the time. Kneecap claimed the “malicious” uproar among those opposed to the band is “based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods. … The reason Kneecap is being targeted is simple — we are telling the truth, and our audience is growing. Those attacking us want to silence criticism of a mass slaughter. They weaponize false accusations of antisemitism to distract, confuse, and provide cover for genocide.”
Source link
