Kneecap Removed From Scottish Music Festival Over Police’s Safety Concerns

Irish rap trio Kneecap will no longer be playing the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow, Scotland. In a statement shared with Pitchfork, a festival spokesperson said the band’s removal from the bill was “due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event.” The performance was due to take place on Friday, July 11.

According to BBC News, Police Scotland said that Kneecap’s show would have required “a significant policing operation.” A police spokesperson also said, however, that the final performance decisions would lie with the festival organizers.

On X, Kneecap apologized to the fans “who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see” their TRNSMT show. “Glasgow has always been a huge city for us,” they added. “We’ve played there many many times, with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will.” They also claimed that they were “removed” from the festival’s bill, and that they did not “pull out” of the event.

Kneecap’s removal from TRNSMT comes after the band’s Mo Chara was charged with a terror offense for allegedly displaying the Hezbollah flag during a 2024 concert. In addition, they caught a great deal of attention after their Coachella performance featured pro-Palestine and anti-Israel messages.

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