Kneecap apologises to families of two murdered MPs
They say they "never intended to cause them hurt" after a video from 2023 appeared to show a band member urging people to "kill" Tory MPs.
Last updated 29th Apr 2025
Rap trio Kneecap have apologised to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess.
They say they "never intended to cause them hurt" after a video from 2023 appeared to show a band member urging people to "kill" Tory MPs.
In a statement online, the Belfast group go on to claim an extract from the footage has been "deliberately taken out of all context".
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for a member of the group to be prosecuted over the video, appearing to show him saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."
Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said the Prime Minister believes the comments were "completely unacceptable" and "condemns them in the strongest possible terms".
In a statement posted on X, the Belfast group - Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh - said they "reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual".
They said a video extract had been deliberately taken out of context and was being "exploited and weaponised".
The band has previously claimed they are facing a "co-ordinated smear campaign" after speaking out about "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people".
The statement said: "Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral hysteria.
"This distortion is not only absurd - it is a transparent effort to derail the real conversation."
The band said they have never supported Hamas or Hezbollah and condemned all attacks on civilians, apologising to the families of murdered MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, saying "we never intended to cause you hurt".
Scotland Yard is looking into the incident, along with another concert from November 2024 in which a member of the band appeared to shout "Up Hamas, up Hezbollah" - groups which are banned as terrorist organisations in the UK.
Mrs Badenoch said Kneecap's "anti-British hatred has no place in our society" and that it is "good" the police are looking into the allegation, adding: "Kneecap's glorification of terrorism and anti-British hatred has no place in our society.
"After the murder of Sir David Amess, this demands prosecution."
Conservative MP Sir David was stabbed to death while meeting constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in 2021.
Meanwhile, Labour MP David Taylor has written to the organisers of the Glastonbury Festival, urging them to remove Kneecap from this year's line-up.
In a letter addressed to founder Sir Michel Eavis and posted on X, the Hemel Hempstead MP said: "By hosting such a group, Glastonbury Festival risks undermining its proud tradition of promoting peace, unity and social responsibility."
The band are listed to play on the West Holts stage on the Saturday of the June festival.
Counter-terrorism police are assessing footage reportedly from the November 2024 gig in London'sKentish Town Forum and the November 2023 concert.
On Sunday, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We were made aware of a video on April 22, believed to be from an event in November 2024, and it has been referred to the counter-terrorism internet referral unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.
"We have also been made aware of another video believed to be from an event in November 2023."
He also said the force "are assessing both to determine whether further police investigation is required".
The counter-terrorism internet referral unit (CTIRU) is a national counter-terrorism policing unit based within the Met's Counter Terrorism Command which is dedicated to identifying terrorist and extremist material online.
Police will carry out an investigation if the material breaches the law.