By now, I’m sure you will have heard their names repeated incessantly on social media. Kneecap, the Belfast punk rap trio who dared to speak out against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. They’ve become entangled in a media frenzy, slated by the likes of Piers Morgan and even Sharon Osbourne – to which the band suggested she should listen to the recently departed Mr Osbourne’s Black Sabbath track ‘War Pigs’.
But for Kneecap, the targeted campaign didn’t stop there. In May of 2025, band member Mo Chara was charged with terrorism over allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at their 02 Forum gig in late 2024. An investigation into the band’s “kill your local MP” and “the only good Tory is a dead Tory” comments was also launched, only to be dropped after the statutory time limit for prosecution expired.
Almost unbelievable – a matter as serious as an apparent incident of terrorism being dropped due to a “statutory time limit”. It’s almost like it was never terrorism in the first place…
The band became awash with calls from political and public figures, including Keir Starmer, to be kicked from the Glastonbury lineup.
To my delight they were not booted. However, to my irritation, the BBC refused to broadcast their performance live. Almost inevitably, though, Avon and Somerset Police launched a criminal investigation into comments made on stage by the Irish language rap trio.
And in the last few days, the force said detectives had sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and chosen not to take any further action against Kneecap on the grounds that there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
Bob Vylan
Bob Vylan are a punk duo made up of drummer Bobbie Vylan and frontman Bobby Vylan. They’re principled chaps who are not the most compatible with the dithering middle of the road complacency of the BBC. I’ve been going to Vylan gigs since their performance on the NEU stage at 2000 Trees in 2022 and have been a diehard fan ever since.
Each gig is anchored by their political motivations. Bob Vylan don’t get up on stage and sing ballads of romance and heartbreak, they jump off lighting rigs into crowds of thousands whilst chanting their hatred for injustice and inequality.
“There’s no Kumbaya to be found round here, no groovy beat
No liberal lefty *!*! is gonna tell me punching Nazis ain’t the way
If you wanna hold hands and sing
Go do it over there while the big boys play”
So I must say, I was surprised to hear the BBC were willing to let the two Bobs perform live on TV.
Surely it was obvious they would say something the Beeb would find unsavoury?
Did the BBC actually research who Bob Vylan are?
They knew enough about the lads to class them as “high risk” ahead of their Glastonbury appearance, yet this is a band that begins their gigs with “guided meditation and light stretches” and promote healthy eating and veganism. I mean come on, they’re not exactly Skrewdriver.
Photo: Rudi Banfield.
The chanting
The trouble for the BBC started when frontman Bobby Vylan began a “Death to the IDF” chant during the live broadcasting of their Glastonbury performance. Within minutes the boomer misery cult at The Daily Mail got their claws into it, Starmer was up in arms and UKIP even called for the Bobs to be deported (presumably back to their place of birth, Ipswich?).
To be clear, Bob Vylan are calling for the end of a military machine that is systematically destroying what remains of Palestine, concentrating Gazans into a camp in Rafah (after bombing the city into ruins), air striking hospitals and shooting aid-seeking civilians.
With this is mind, how is the sentiment controversial?
Many argue that Israel is a de-facto apartheid state that launched a disproportionate and potentially genocidal military operation against Palestinian civilians in the name of self-defence with no regard for international law.
Yet those who speak out specifically against the actions of the Netanyahu government are slandered with antisemitism allegations, police investigations and even smearing from the British PM.
Complacency from governments
There has been almost complete complacency from governments internationally regarding Netanyahu’s actions, allowing for the persecution of Palestinians with few consequences. With politics entering a twisted age in which those standing up for the oppressed are labelled as racist or antisemitic, it’s become easier than ever to distract and blame everyone but the true persecutor.
The Bob Vylan and Kneecap controversies are symptoms of a wider media and government agenda to shutdown meaningful protest against what is happening in Palestine.
But ironically, and thankfully, all it’s done is strengthen the popularity of the bands they tried to smear.
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