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In Great Britain, the police are investigating a music group: Kneecap are said to have called for the murder of conservative politicians: inside. Learn more about the background here.
“The only good Tory is a dead Tory”
The Northern Irish group has its sights on the anti -terrorist unit due to incidents in 2023. In November, Kneecap is said to have said during a concert: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
The term “Tory” applies to members and supporters: inside the Conservative and Unionist Party, one of the most important parties in the Great Britain political system. Even then, media reports on the concert in the statement matched, now is Video material from the show appeared that triggered the investigation.
Furthermore, the authorities should have another video from November 2024, according to official bodies in London. In these recordings, a band member of KNEACAP should express encouragement for terrorist organizations. “On Hamas, on Hisbollah,” the band is said to have said.
Both Hamas and Hisbollah are prohibited in Great Britain, and support – as well as in Germany – are punishable. The police are currently checking whether further investigations have to be initiated.
British politics stands against the trio
“We condemn unmistakably threatening statements to every person,” said a spokesman for the government. “All reports of intimidation, harassment and threats are taken extremely seriously. We work with the police and the parliament in order to do everything in our power in order to act against threats against elected representatives.”
The investigation is sometimes supported by Gavin Robinson, chairman of the conservative Northern Irish party Democratic Unionist Party. On X (formerly Twitter) he asked to act against his compatriots Kneecap. “The promotion of sectarianism, the glorification of violence and the spread of split under the guise of ‘art’ is still hatred. Against Kneecap must be determined because of its hate crimes,” he wrote. “If someone else did something like that, they would be in court, not on a stage.”
German festivals throw Kneecap out
Kneecap also made headlines at the Coachella Festival in California in mid -April. There they drawn attention to the situation in the Middle East with slogans such as “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine” and clearly positioned themselves. Your American booking agency Independent Artist Group then ended the collaboration with the rappers. In Germany they flew from the line-up of the sister festivals Hurricane and Southside. Kneecap has always been a political group, since its name already alludes to the fact that the Northern Irish terrorist group IRA drug dealers shot into the kneecaps.
The band was also seen in the film of the same name “Kneecap”. Director Rich Peppiatt was recently awarded a BAFTA price for the best film debut.