Kneecap will face no further police action over their Glastonbury performance that saw them call for people to riot in Westminster Court.
Avon and Somerset Police said it will be taking ‘no further action’ on the grounds that there is ‘insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence’.
The investigation was announced in June after officers reviewed video footage and audio recordings from the sets of Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan at the Somerset festival.
Addressing more than 30,000 revellers at Worthy Farm, one of the band mates Naoise Ó Cairealláin, known as Moglai Bap, said: ‘Mo Chara is back in court for a trumped up terrorism charge.
‘It’s not the first time there has been a miscarriage of justice for an Irish person in the British justice system. So now you know he’s available on the 20th August at Westminster, support Mo Chara and let’s start a riot in the courts.’
Later on in the hour long set, Mo Chara said: ‘The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play so f*** Keir Starmer,’ before leading a chant against him.
The band’s third member DJ Provai, whose real name is J. J. Ó Dochartaigh, removed a red boiler suit to reveal a Palestine Action t-shirt – a group the government have now banned under UK anti-terrorism laws.
On Friday, the group, comprised of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain, and JJ O Dochartaigh, posted a screenshot to social media from an email that appeared to be from a senior investigating officer.
In the caption of their post, Kneecap said: ‘One element of the political policing intimidation attempt is over.
‘We played a historic set at Glastonbury. Whole area closed an hour before due to crowds. A celebration of love and solidarity. A sea of good people at the world’s most famous festival.’
Avon and Somerset Police said: ‘An investigation has been carried out into comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday 28 June.
‘Detectives sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service during their enquiries and after that advice, we have made the decision to take no further action on the grounds there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence.’
In a statement, the force added that it was still investigating Boy Vylan’s performance.
It comes after the Met Police decided that they would also not be prosecuting a Kneecap rapper after he appeared to tell fans at a London concert to ‘kill your local MP’.
The Irish rap trio were filmed shouting ‘the only good Tory is a dead Tory’ while playing a gig in November 2023.
Metropolitan Police conducted a ‘thorough investigation’ after footage of the comments emerged in April but have determined offences were ‘beyond the statutory time limit for prosecution’.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had already been charged after he allegedly displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in November last year.
Speaking of its decision to drop charges over the ‘kill your MP’ jibe, the Met said: ‘A thorough investigation has now been completed by detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command, which included interviewing an individual under caution and seeking early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
‘A range of offences were considered as part of the investigation.
‘However, given the time elapsed between the events in the video and the video being brought to police attention, any potential summary only offences were beyond the statutory time limit for prosecution.
‘Relevant indictable offences were considered by the investigation team and, based on all of the current evidence available, a decision has been made that no further action will be taken at this time.’
At other gigs, Kneecap has led chants mocking Margaret Thatcher’s death and repeating the phrase ‘Brits out’.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court last month after being charged with terrorism offences over allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying ‘up Hamas, up Hezbollah’.
And after the BBC announced they would not be broadcasting Kneecap’s Glastonbury performance live, punk duo Bob Vylan gave a controversial set on Saturday in which they led chants of ‘death to the IDF’ which were broadcast live on national television.
Sir Keir said he was ‘appalled’ by the negative comments on stage about the foreign army – which has been accused of war crimes – and the Conservative party went so far as to say BBC bosses should be prosecuted.
