Music festival Glastonbury has been warned to "really check" their lineup of performing artists, as controversy surrounding Irish rap band Kneecap continues to escalate.
During the band's Coachella set in California, a screen behind them displayed the message: "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people."
Their set also featured the lyrics "F**k Israel, Free Palestine" - sparking outrage from high profile figures such as Sharon Osbourne, who called the act "aggressive".
Hitting back at Osbourne, Kneecap declared that "statements aren't aggressive - murdering 20,000 children is though."
Glastonbury Festival has been issued a warning after controversial band Kneecap are investigated by terror police
PA / Getty
Discussing the band's controversy on GB News, former Attorney General Sir Michael Ellis claimed that although free speech is a "very important right", it has "always excluded hate speech".
Ellis explained: "What's fascinating legally about this is that Kemi Badenoch, when she was Business Secretary, originally didn't want to give a £15,000 grant to this band. Which was then overruled by the court and appealed by Badenoch.
"But when the Labour government came in, they abandoned that appeal, which meant that the £15,000 that Kemi Badenoch had not wanted to give to the band went to them. And now they find themselves in a situation where the counter-terrorism police are investigating alleged offences because of this band."
As host Tom Harwood claimed that the band are allowing the media to "fall into their trap" by "stirring up outrage", Ellis emphasised that they are not the first musical act to "attention seek".
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Kneecap has been referred to counter terrorism police over alleged pro-Hamas chantsGettyEllis told GB News: "Of course, they're not the first band to attention seek, and so there's no doubt in what you say is right. People have a right to free speech, but it's not a new concept to have a right to hate speech."
Highlighting the possible criminal offence committed by the band, Ellis added: "Anybody who supports a proscribed group is ostensibly committing an offence under the Terrorism Act 2000. But whether that's happened here is a matter for the police to investigate.
"The principle is, though, that people are allowed and expected to go about their daily business without feeling like they're victimised by hate speech. And so I think the general principle has to be kept to here - we've got to have a situation where this sort of thing is intolerable.
"We wouldn't allow it with other minority ethnic groups, and we shouldn't allow it for the to happen against the Jewish community."
Ellis told GB News that the Labour Government has 'a lot to answer for' in giving the band £15,000
GB News
As host Tom Harwood highlighted that the group are also set to play at this summer's Glastonbury festival, Ellis cautioned that the organisers should properly check their lineup of artists before allowing them to perform.
He concluded: "No one would disagree with the fact that they're not the first band over the years to have attracted attention to themselves by being as controversial as they possibly can, but I do think that it's an obligation, especially after what happened at Coachella, that Glastonbury and other festivals here in the UK have a responsibility to really check those bands whose behaviour may cross that line."
Kneecap are also under investigation after a video emerged from one of their gigs in November 2024, which showed one band member allegedly shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" while draped in the terror organisation's flag.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the counter terrorism internet referral unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required."
