Kneecap Pulled from TRNSMT Festival Over Safety Concerns; Glasgow Replacement Show Announced

Safety concerns lead to Kneecap's TRNSMT cancellation; the rap trio will instead perform a replacement gig at Glasgow’s O2 Academy on July 8.

Kneecap's TRNSMT Appearance Cancelled Amid Safety Concerns

Scottish rap trio Kneecap has been removed from the lineup of the upcoming TRNSMT festival due to “safety concerns” raised by the police. To compensate for the cancellation, the band has scheduled a replacement show at Glasgow’s O2 Academy, set for July 8.

The band shared a statement on their social media channels explaining the situation:
“Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap can no longer perform at TRNSMT 🚔. To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights, and hotels to see us play, we are sorry…it is out of our hands. Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We’ve played there many, many times with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will. To try to make up for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday, July 8th.”

Festival's Official Statement on Kneecap's Removal

A spokesperson for the TRNSMT festival confirmed the cancellation, stating:
“Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday, July 11. We thank fans for their understanding.”

Recent Performances and Controversies

Kneecap recently headlined the Wide Awake Festival in London and played a warm-up show at the 100 Club without reported safety issues. During the Wide Awake gig, the group addressed controversy surrounding their political statements supporting Palestine, which have drawn significant attention.

Following their Coachella performance in 2025, where they expressed support for Palestine, counter-terror police began reviewing footage from a November London performance. This led to one of the group’s members, Mo Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), being charged with a terror offense by the Metropolitan Police.

The charge centres on allegations that Mo Chara displayed a flag supporting the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah during a gig last year. The band has denied backing Hamas or Hezbollah and stated they do not condone violence. They argue the footage in question was taken out of context.

“This is a carnival of distraction… It’s political policing. We are not the story; genocide is.”
— Kneecap

Statement from Mo Chara on the Terror Charge

At the Wide Awake Festival, Mo Chara spoke out about the charge, alleging it was an attempt to silence the band ahead of their Glastonbury appearance:
“I went for an interview with the counter-terror police and within days they came to a verdict that they were going to charge me. Never has it been that quick. And the reason it was that quick was because Glastonbury is just around the corner. They’re trying to silence us from speaking onstage at Glastonbury the way we did at Coachella. Fuck them.”

Kneecap at Glastonbury 2024 and Upcoming Court Date

Mo Chara is due to appear at Westminster Crown Court on June 18. He has encouraged fans to attend the hearing with “a big bag of ket.”

The band has faced multiple recent cancellations, including at Germany’s Hurricane and Southside Festivals, Cornwall's Eden Project, and a replacement show in Plymouth. They also referenced political pressure from MPs calling for their removal from festival lineups such as TRNSMT and Glastonbury.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) also pushed for the cancellation of a sold-out Belfast gig with Fontaines D.C., which sold out in just 35 minutes.

Support from Billy Bragg and Wider Context

Veteran musician Billy Bragg has expressed support for Kneecap while also voicing concerns over the wording of an open letter defending them. He believes the legal action against the band represents a disturbing trend where creative expression, particularly rap, is increasingly criminalised.

Bragg explained:
“I caught some flak... my problem was with the wording of the letter. I understand that it may have appeared I was arguing semantics while atrocities were being committed, but my genuine concern is that the artists were taking a position that could undermine efforts to hold the Israeli government to account, which is surely not their intent.”

He highlighted previous examples—like cancelled shows by Nick Cave and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood—that show how public pressure has limited artistic freedom. Bragg argued that “the charging of Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh with a terrorism offence by the Metropolitan Police is the latest development of a disturbing and broader trend” where lyrics and music videos are used to secure criminal convictions.

Bragg further noted:

• Sweeping definitions of “gang” activity blur lines around rap music culture.
• Music and lyrics are sometimes used to implicate multiple people in criminal cases.
• This disproportionately affects young Black men from marginalized communities.

“While I believe that being an artist doesn’t absolve you from taking responsibility for your actions, I do not believe that creative expression should be subject to criminal charges.”
— Billy Bragg

Conclusion

Kneecap’s removal from TRNSMT and the legal challenges they face highlight the tension between artistic freedom and public safety concerns in today’s climate. How do you feel about the balance between creative expression and security at large events? Should political expression by artists be limited at festivals, or is this a step too far?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why was Kneecap pulled from TRNSMT?
  The band was removed due to police concerns over safety at the event.
• Where and when is Kneecap’s replacement show?
  They will perform at Glasgow’s O2 Academy on July 8.
• What legal issues is Mo Chara facing?
  Mo Chara has been charged with a terror offence related to allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a past performance.
• How has the public and other musicians reacted?
  Some, like Billy Bragg, have spoken out in support while highlighting concerns over criminalising artistic expression.
• Have Kneecap’s other gigs been affected?
  Yes, they have faced cancellations at several other festivals and shows, influenced by political pressure.

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