Irish band Kneecap win discrimination case against UK government
Irish language rap group Kneecap have won their discrimination case against the UK government after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch refused them funding.
The trio – who have been criticised by former Tory government members for some of their lyrics – launched legal action, claiming the decision to withhold the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationalist and political opinion.
After a brief hearing at Belfast High Court on Friday, it was agreed the government would pay the band £14,250 – the same amount the grant was for.
The group’s application to the Music Export Growth Scheme, which supports UK-registered artists in global markets, was initially accepted by the British Phonographic Industry.
But it was later refused by Mrs Badenoch – now Conservative leader – when she was business secretary, as the grant is overseen by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
At the time, a government spokesperson said it fully supported freedom of speech, but that it was “hardly surprising” it did not want to hand out UK taxpayers’ money to those opposed to the United Kingdom.
The band said on Friday it would donate the money to two youth organisations in Belfast – one from a nationalist and one from a unionist area.
DJ Provai outside Belfast High Court, with the band’s lawyers. Pic: PA
‘They have tried to silence us’
Band member DJ Provai arrived at court in an old Land Rover styled to look like a police vehicle, which was bearing the Irish and Palestinian flags and blaring loud music.
He was wearing his usual Irish tricolour balaclava, which he removed to enter the court building.
Speaking after the hearing, DJ Provai, whose real name is JJ O’Dochartaigh, said the band’s motivation was “equality”.
“For us, this action was never about £14,250; it could have been 50p,” he said.
“This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves.”
Pic: PA
He added: “The former secretary of state Kemi Badenoch and her department acted unlawfully; this is now a fact.
“They have tried to silence us and they have failed.”
A statement from the Department for Business and Trade said the government’s priority is to “try and reduce costs and help protect the taxpayer from further expense”.
It said the government will not contest Kneecap’s challenge as it does not believe it is in the public interest.
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Who are Kneecap?
Formed in 2017 in west Belfast, Kneecap consists of three friends who perform under the stage names Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai.
The group have previously voiced views in favour of Irish unity and a particularly provocative poster for their 2019 “Farewell to the Union” tour angered the Conservative Party.
Their song Brits Out (which they told Sky News earlier this year is a tongue-in-cheek poke at government rule) also caused controversy, while their references to drug-taking led to them being banned from Irish public service broadcaster RTE.
But the band has enjoyed huge success both on stage and screen.
Earlier this year they released a biopic film, also called Kneecap, starring Irish-German actor and Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender.
The film was likened to Trainspotting, 8 Mile and 24 Hour Party People by critics and in January, it won the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival, an internationally recognised showcase for independent cinema.
It has also been named as Ireland’s official submission for the best international feature film shortlist at the 2025 Oscars.
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Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
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Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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