Kneecap keeps Canadian tour dates, cancels U.S. shows due to court hearing

The irish people hip-hop aggroup Kneecap, whose public presentation at Coachella before this twelvemonth sparked controversy for projected messages against the Israeli government's war in Gaza, is cancelling 15 of its shows in the United States but says four scheduled shows in Vancouver and Toronto will go on. 

In an Instagram post this week, the group announced it was cancelling the U.S. Shows due to Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh's upcoming court hearing in London scheduled for Sept. 26. 

Ó Hannaidh is a rapper and group co-founder who performs under the name Mo Chara. He faces terrorism charges in the United Kingdom after videos emerged appearing to show him wearing a Hezbollah flag over his head. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are designated terror groups in Britain and Canada.

The 27-year-old was charged in May under the Terrorism Act that prohibits displaying articles in a way that may suggest support for a proscribed organization. The Belfast-based band has said the flag was thrown on stage during its performance.

"Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah," Kneecap said on X in the spring. "We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never OK."

The group said the proximity of the U.S. Tour dates to the court hearing is what led their cancellations. 

"To all our U.S.-based fans we have some bad news," the band said in the Instagram post.

"Due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London to the first date of the tour, as the British government continues its witch hunt, we will have to cancel all 15 U.S. Tour dates in October."

The band is set to perform in Toronto on Oct. 14 and 15 and in Vancouver on Oct. 22 and 23.

Kneecap is made up of Ó Hannaidh along with Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, though they each have stage names.

Hundreds of supporters attended a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court last week, where Ó Hannaidh's lawyers argued the charge was filed outside the legal time limit.

Kneecap, which performs in Irish and English, has previously said the charge is an attempt to silence the group, which has been vocal on political issues including the war in Gaza.

Following its Coachella and Glastonbury performances, some organizations had called for Canada to bar Kneecap and Bob Vylan, another U.K. Band.

Bob Vylan led audience members at Glastonbury in chanting "Free Palestine" and "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defence Forces. 

The band had its U.S. Visas revoked over what U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau called a "hateful tirade" at Glastonbury.

UTA, the band's agent, severed ties with the band and it was dropped from some music festivals in Europe.

The duo is scheduled to play several U.S. Cities on a tour this fall, according to promoter Live Nation's website, but no stops are scheduled in Canada.

Organizations like the Ottawa-based Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs want the federal government to prevent either act from appearing in Canada. 

Fans and supporters have decried what they see as attempts to censor the bands and punish them for protesting Israel's war against Hamas and attacks on Gaza, while critics see them as fuelling antisemitism and hate crimes against Jews. 

---

---