KNEECAP have pulled out of a major US music festival due to its sponsorship by the American military.
Belfast rap trio Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí were due to perform three shows at the South By Southwest (SXSW) music and film festival in Austin, Texas which takes place on March 11-16. The festival promotes emerging talent in the music and film industries.
In a statement released on social media on Sunday, the group stated their decision not to attend the festival, expressing solidarity with the people of Palestine.
They referenced the US's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in over 31,000 Palestinian deaths with disease, starvation and overcrowding now rampant.
Kneecap had previously appeared on RTÉ One’s The Late Late Show, where they wore pro-Palestine symbols, revealing later that they were asked by the broadcaster not to do so.
During their performance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon at the weekend, which airs on the NBC channel and is the longest-running entertainment show in the US, the group refrained from making any political statements.
In a subsequent statement on social media, Kneecap explained, "Tonight was a pre-recorded performance, limiting our ability to address current events."
They said they pulled out of the festival "in solidarity with the Palestinian people".
