Irish rap group Kneecap has announced the cancellation of all its upcoming U.S. tour dates in October due to legal proceedings involving band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.
The group confirmed the decision in a statement shared on social media, citing scheduling conflicts with Ó hAnnaidh’s next court hearing in London as the primary reason for the cancellations. However, the two Canadian shows scheduled for Vancouver and Toronto will proceed as planned.
Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, faces charges related to displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert last November. He has denied the allegations, stating that the group does not support Hamas or Hezbollah. The court case has been adjourned until September 26.
In their social media statement, Kneecap expressed disappointment at canceling all 15 U.S. dates, noting that each show was sold out to tens of thousands of fans. The band assured supporters that once the court case is resolved in their favor, they plan to embark on an even larger tour. They also teased a special surprise for U.S. fans, promising more details next week.
Kneecap’s U.S. tour plans were met with controversy following their outspoken criticism of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza during their performance at the Coachella festival in April. Their comments sparked significant backlash, including accusations of antisemitism, which the group vehemently denied. The band parted ways with their U.S. booking agency, Independent Artists Group, amid the fallout.
The group has maintained that they are victims of a coordinated smear campaign, aimed at silencing their criticism of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza. On social media platform X, Kneecap stated that the attacks against them are “based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods” intended to distract from what they describe as “genocide” against Palestinians.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ