Irish rap group Kneecap will not face any legal action over their controversial Glastonbury Festival performance, as Avon and Somerset Police announced they are dropping their criminal investigation into the matter.
The police investigation was prompted after the trio’s rightfully politically charged set in June, during which they led the crowd in chants including “f-ck Keir Starmer” and “free Palestine.”
The performance, which authorities found contraversial took place on the West Holts stage, drew significant attention. The set, described as the biggest of Kneecap’s career, attracted a packed crowd nearly an hour before the performance began. However, due to the politically sensitive nature of their chants, the BBC chose not to broadcast the performance live, which only intensified the debate surrounding the group.
Following a month-long inquiry, Avon and Somerset Police stated on Friday that they would not pursue charges against Kneecap, citing “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offense.” The investigation, launched after the festival, involved a senior detective reviewing footage from the performance to determine whether any of the remarks made during the set violated the law. The decision not to charge the group came after consultations with the Crown Prosecution Service, according to BBC News.
Kneecap responded to the news by posting a redacted version of the email they received from the police on their Instagram, expressing frustration over the political nature of the investigation. In a statement, they described the probe as an attempt at “political policing intimidation” and criticized the lack of a public apology after the case was closed. “We will continue to fight. We will continue to win,” the group added.
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