We, the undersigned, call upon the organisers of the Herne Hill Festival, all UK event promoters, venue owners, and relevant authorities to immediately cancel all scheduled appearances of the Irish rap group Kneecap and to ensure that no public platform is given to those who endorse proscribed terrorist organisations.

Kneecap has openly and repeatedly expressed support for terrorist groups including Hamas and Hezbollah. Both organisations are officially proscribed under UK law as terrorist entities due to their roles in inciting violence, committing mass murder, and targeting civilians, including British citizens. Publicly backing such groups is not an act of free artistic expression. It is an endorsement of hatred, division, and terror.

At Coachella 2025, Kneecap displayed banners reading “F–k Israel, Free Palestine” while invoking support for groups directly responsible for atrocities such as the Nova music festival massacre on October 7, 2023, where civilians — including women, children, and the elderly — were brutally murdered.
The group has also waved the Hezbollah flag at previous performances — a symbol of an organisation whose charter and operational history call for the violent eradication of Israel and the slaughter of Jews.

By continuing to provide Kneecap with performance opportunities in the United Kingdom, organisers and venues risk:

• Legitimising the glorification of terrorist violence;
• Normalising the public endorsement of banned terrorist groups;
• Further marginalising Jewish communities and undermining public trust in the UK’s commitment to anti-extremism.

This is not about silencing political views. It is about upholding the fundamental principles of British law, community safety, and basic human decency.

The right to free speech does not extend to the promotion or celebration of terrorism.

We demand the following:

• Immediate cancellation of Kneecap’s scheduled appearance at the Herne Hill Festival on 23 May 2025.
• A thorough review of any future planned performances by Kneecap across the UK.
• Clear public statements from event organisers affirming their commitment to preventing the promotion of proscribed terrorist groups.

Britain must not allow its stages to be hijacked by the apologists for terror. There must be no place for hatred, glorification of violence, or antisemitism in our public spaces.

We call on all responsible parties to act now — to cancel Kneecap’s performances and to stand firmly against extremism in all its forms.