Kneecap make us proud to be Irish

Band back controversial rappers in standing up for worthy causes

- BY SANDRA MALLON

PICTURE This said rappers Kneecap makes them “proud to be Irish” for “standing up for worthy causes”.

The controversial Belfast group hit headlines last week after it was revealed they are being investigated by counter-terrorism police in the UK following a video allegedly showing them calling for the deaths of Tory MPs.

They also received backlash after Coachella festival in California where they described Israel’s onslaught in Gaza as a US-funded genocide.

As a result, group members have been called anti-Semitic and “terrorist sympathisers” of Hamas and Hezbollah and have had a series of summer festivals and show appearances cancelled in Europe and America.

But defending Kneecap, Picture This drummer Jimmy Rainsford said artists have every right to express themselves.

He said: “Yes. That's the whole point about being an artist. It’s expressionism. You should be allowed to express whatever you feel and whatever opinion you have, people should be allowed to say whatever they want.

ART