Photo Credit: Kneecap’s Instagram
The Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud has withdrawn a 40,000 euro subsidy for the Rock-en-Seine music festival due to booking Irish band Kneecap.
The Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud, home of the annual Rock-en-Seine music festival, has decided to withdraw a 40,000 euro ($46,000) subsidy for the event due to booking controversial Irish rap group Kneecap. The Saint-Cloud municipal authority announced the news on Thursday.
According to a statement from Saint-Cloud city hall, the money had been agreed before the event’s final lineup was announced and that it made the decision to withdraw the funds on July 3. The city said it respects the festival’s programming freedom and did not seek “to enter into any negotiations with a view to influence the programming.”
“On the other hand, it does not finance political action, nor demands, and even less calls to violence, such as calls to kill lawmakers, whatever their nationality,” the statement continued. The band is scheduled to play on the last day of the Rock-en-Seine festival, which runs from August 21 through August 24.
Kneecap, which raps in both English and Irish, has faced criticism in recent weeks over its displaying pro-Palestine messages during concerts, including the group’s set during Coachella. Some of Kneecap’s shows, such as planned stops in Scotland and Germany, have been axed over safety concerns. The band is due to tour the U.S. this fall.
Meanwhile, Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, better known as Mo Chara, was charged back in May with a terrorism offense in the United Kingdom for allegedly displaying a flag of Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. He has denied the offense, while the band says its members do not and have never supported Hamas, Hezbollah, or any terrorist organization.
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