Irish rap group Kneecap have been dropped from the Eden Project’s summer line-up following backlash over past comments appearing to incite violence and praise terror groups banned in the UK.
The 4 July show in Cornwall was cancelled after footage resurfaced from a 2023 gig showing a band member saying, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” A separate clip from 2024 features another shouting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.
Eden Sessions organisers confirmed, “Eden Sessions Limited announced today that the Kneecap show at Eden Project scheduled for 4 July 2025 has been cancelled. Ticket purchasers will be contacted directly and will be fully refunded.”
On Monday, the group apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox but insisted the remarks have been “exploited and weaponised”. In a statement they said, “We reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual.”
Katie Amess, daughter of the late Sir David Amess, dismissed the apology as “absurd” and accused the band of “deflection of excuses”. “These words that they are using are extremely dangerous, and they have not acknowledged that.”
Downing Street echoed her view, branding the apology “half-hearted”, and said it “completely reject[s] in the strongest possible terms the comments they’ve made”.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are assessing both video clips. Ministers have urged Glastonbury organisers to reconsider the band’s inclusion in this year’s festival.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons, “There is an ongoing live police investigation. The government would urge the organisers of the Glastonbury Festival to think very carefully about who is invited to perform.”
