‘We understand colonialism and we understand how important it is to support each other internationally,’ Belfast rap group Kneecap singer Mo Chara told a 30,000-strong cheering Glastonbury audience on Saturday.
Condemning Israeli genocide, Chara led the 30,000-strong crowd in chants of ‘free, free Palestine’.
Kneecap’s Mo Chara, DJ Provai and Moglai Bap filled Glastonbury’s West Holts stage for a powerful performance, giving a ‘shout-out’ to Palestine Action, which Home Secretary Yvette Cooper plans to ban and proscribe under the Terrorism Act of 2000 later this week.
‘The prime minister, of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,’ said Chara, who appeared on stage wearing his trademark Palestinian keffiyeh in front of the capacity crowd, including many people waving Palestinian flags.
‘This situation can be quite stressful but it’s minimal compared to what the Palestinian people are facing,’ said Chara.
He is facing charges under the British Terrorism Act of supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a flag of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement at a concert in London in November last year.
‘Glastonbury, I’m a free man!’ he shouted as the trio took to the stage.
Chara’s bandmate Móglaí Bap, called the case ‘a trumped up terrorism charge’, adding that it was ‘not the first time there was a miscarriage of justice for an Irish person in the British justice system’.
Kneecap voiced support for Palestine Action, leading to further chants against Starmer for selling arms to Israel.
Preceding Kneecap on stage at Glastonbury on Saturday punk duo Bob Vylan chanted: ‘Death, Death to the IDF’, referring to the genocidal Israel Occupation Force.
Rapper Bobby Vylan led chants of ‘free, free Palestine’ and ‘death, death to the IDF’.
Bob Vylan are an English punk duo based in London, with Bobby Vylan singer and guitarist and Bobbie Vylan is the drummer of the band.
Following sets from both groups, Avon and Somerset Police said it would review footage of comments, which ‘will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation’.
Last Monday home secretary Cooper, announced plans to ban Palestine Action, which would make membership of it, or inviting support for it, a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
It would be the first time a direct action protest group has been classified as a terrorist organisation, joining the likes of Islamic State, al-Qaida and National Action.
A court case in which the UK is accused of selling F-35 parts that could be used by Israel to attack Gaza is awaiting judgment.