6 May 2025, 08:21 | Updated: 6 May 2025, 08:38

By James Cropper

This point must be made amid the controversy that the group has found themselves in following footage emerging that shows member Mo Chara allegedly shouting ‘Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah’ and ‘Kill your local MP’.

As someone from Belfast and also of the Post-Good Friday Agreement generation, it is disappointing to see such a turn towards the promotion of violent groups and acts. But I must admit I was not shocked.

Recently I have witnessed discourse amongst peers, and Ireland as a whole, become increasingly more radical. So, hearing apparent support for groups that have done nothing but fuel further death and destruction isn’t surprising.

However, for a group that has done a lot to promote cross-community relations at home, it is disappointing to see them follow a path that our history warns against.

The group has now launched a campaign to present themselves as ‘victims’ of a targeted ‘witch-hunt’ for their outspoken stance on the complex Israel-Palestine issue.

A key driver of this is based on the group’s ‘understanding’ of Anglo-Irish history and the Troubles, a history steeped in sectarian division and killing. As another ‘child’ of the Good Friday Agreement, I have grown increasingly concerned with our history being used in such contexts.

The fact is that Kneecap’s members should have known better. They have steered away from artful expression to violent rhetoric. This does nobody any favours and the group must own their actions rather than cry conspiracy.

They have now........

© LBC