Love Music Hate Racism “stands with Kneecap” whereas Toddla T speaks out towards “musical elite” secret letter to drop them from Glastonbury

Love Music Hate Racism have shared an announcement saying that the charity “stands with Kneecap”, and Toddla T has spoken out towards a secret letter that was reportedly written to try to have the group kicked off the Glastonbury 2025 line-up.

The statements come amid controversy surrounding the Irish rap trio – each for his or her Coachella set which “blindsided” pageant organisers, and for resurfaced footage of 2024 gigs, which allegedly noticed them show a flag in assist of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah.

The latter noticed Mo Chara charged by the Metropolitan Police with a terror offence, and quite a few reside exhibits cancelled. He's set to seem in courtroom on June 18.

Kneecap have constantly denied supporting both Hamas or Hezbollah, and mentioned that they don't incite or condone violence. They've additionally argued that the footage on the UK exhibits had been taken out of context, and described the authorized motion as a “carnival of distraction”. The band used their headline set at London’s Extensive Awake pageant final additional to additional echo their assist for Palestine, and converse out towards efforts to close the band down forward of their Glastonbury look.

Now, Love Music Hate Racism have joined the ranks of these supporting the group, and shared an announcement on-line urging individuals to collect at Westminster for the courtroom look and demand that the fees towards Mo Chara be dropped.

“Love Music Hate Racism stands with Kneecap towards the makes an attempt to silence them for talking out for Gaza,” the assertion learn. “Anybody making an attempt to silence them, or get them pulled from exhibits, is on the flawed facet of historical past.

“LMHR has all the time tried to make use of the facility of music to unite individuals towards hate and division. We stand with Kneecap towards these directing hate in direction of the motion for Palestine. We name on all to face with Kneecap and defend Mo Chara on June 18 exterior Westminster Magistrates Courtroom in London.”

The marketing campaign group was arrange in 2002 in a bid to fight rising ranges of Islamophobia, anti-migrant racism, and hostility in direction of refugees within the UK and Europe. Since forming, it has organised tons of of occasions to advertise the message, and teamed up with the likes of Kasabian, Onerous-Fi, Babyshambles, Get Cape Put on Cape Fly, Estelle, Basement Jaxx and extra.

Final summer season, each Kneecap and LMHR have been amongst those that spoke out towards the far-right riots that passed off in Britain and have been sparked following the deadly stabbing of three kids at a Taylor Swift-inspired dance class in Southport.

Different assist for Kneecap has come from songwriter, DJ and file producer Toddla T, who labored with the band producing their 2024 debut album ‘Superb Artwork’. In a current put up on Instagram, he known as out what he described as a “personal” letter from the “musical elite” within the trade, reportedly written to Glastonbury organisers and asking them to drop the band from the 2025 line-up.

“A ‘Non-public and Confidential’ letter was just lately despatched to the bookers of Glastonbury Competition, urging them to take away Kneecap from the line-up. It was headed by a really systemically highly effective music agent and signed by 30 people from throughout the music trade,” he started, earlier than suggesting the calls for contradict Kneecap’s proper to freedom of speech.

“What we’re seeing is a coordinated try by 30 members of the musical elite. Individuals with systemic affect, to silence the voices of three working-class artists from Belfast. And all of it was performed behind closed doorways,” he added. “If these people really imagine Kneecap shouldn’t carry out, why not say so publicly? Why wasn’t the letter open and clear?”

He went on to spotlight how he, his spouse (broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac) and over 100 others supported a letter defending Kneecap, and signed their identify publicly to indicate that they “stand by our views”.

“On the coronary heart of this isn't only a dispute over a pageant slot… it’s about Palestine,” Toddla T added. “What this personal letter represents to me is yet one more instance of how energy constructions, cultural, governmental, and media, proceed to favour and defend the actions of the Israeli state.”

Because the battle continues to escalate, Israel proceed to disclaim allegations of genocide and struggle crimes towards the individuals of Palestine, within the wake of the October 7 assaults on the hand of Hamas.

The letter Toddla T refers to IS that put ahead by Heavenly Recordings,  supporting the suitable to freedom of expression for musicians and artists. It was made as direct response to the efforts from politicians to have Kneecap – who're signed to Heavenly – faraway from pageant line-ups this summer season.

Others who signed included the likes of Tom Morello, Brian Eno, CMAT, Pulp, Fontaines D.C., IDLES, Large Assault, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Enter Shikari, English Trainer, The Pogues, Lankum, Sleaford Mods and Skinny Lizzy.

In addition to placing their identify on the letter, Large Assault additionally defended Kneecap by sharing an announcement that learn: “Kneecap usually are not the story. Gaza is the story… And the silence, acquiescence and assist of these crimes towards humanity by the elected British authorities is the true story.”

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Regardless of strain, each from politicians and within the alleged letter covertly put ahead by 30 trade figures, the band stay on the Glastonbury line-up and can carry out on the Worthy Farm pageant on Saturday June 28.

Earlier this month, the BBC additionally shared an announcement confirming that Kneecap’s slot – which might be held on the West Holts stage at 4pm – will nonetheless be broadcast as regular, though it might be edited to coincide with pointers.

Whereas there was strain from some MPs to have Kneecap dropped from their pageant appearances this summer season, there has additionally been mounting strain from many artists and creatives for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to “finish UK complicity” in Gaza.

The open letter, led by refugee charity Choose Love, was put ahead to the PM final month and calls for all UK arms gross sales to Israel be instantly suspended, instant humanitarian entry for skilled support companies, and for the federal government to decide to in search of a ceasefire for “the kids of Gaza”.

Among the many 300 who signed the letter included Dua Lipa, Primal Scream and Benedict Cumberbatch, Large Assault, Paloma Religion, Annie Lennox, director Danny Boyle, Sport Of Thrones star Lena Headey, Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, Tilda Swinton and extra.

Dua Lipa additionally spoke out in assist of Gaza final yr, when she condemned Israel’s intensified navy operations within the Palestinian metropolis of Rafa. Taking to Instagram Tales, she additionally wrote: “The entire world is mobilising to cease the Israeli genocide. Please present your solidarity with Gaza. #AllEyesOnRafah.”

Reside occasions together with Germany’s Hurricane Festival and Southside Festivals, Cornwall’s Eden Undertaking, and Scotland’s TRNSMT have dropped Kneecap from their line-ups amid controversy. The trio did play at Extensive Awake Competition in London just lately, shortly after holding a warm-up present on the metropolis’s 100 Membership.

In addition to Glasto, 2000trees have stored Kneecap on their set as 2025 headliners – promising followers that the looks might be “monumental” – and Bilbao BBK Reside just lately added the group to the invoice following them having their slot at TRNSMT axed.