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JTA
EST 1917

Pogues, Thin Lizzy among dozens of bands to defend Kneecap’s ‘freedom of expression’

The statement came after the Irish ban faced criticism for displaying “F— Israel” at a festival.

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Dozens of bands defended Kneecap’s “freedom of expression” after the rap group faced criticism for publicly condemning Israel and appearing to support terror groups.

“This past week has seen a clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform the band Kneecap,” reads the statement, signed by nearly 40 bands including The Pogues, Thin Lizzy, Dexys, Pulp and Massive Attack.

“In a democracy, no political figures or political parties should have the right to dictate who does and does not play at music festivals or gigs that will be enjoyed by thousands of people,” the statement said. It urged government officials and music executives to stop seeking to “silence” Kneecap.

The statement by the bands, posted on Instagram on Wednesday, came 10 days into a controversy swirling around the Northern Irish group’s statements:

The Wednesday statement by the bands did not refer to Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah or the war in Gaza, stating instead that political speech should be “irrelevant” to whether Kneecap is given space to perform.

“The question of agreeing with Kneecap’s political views is irrelevant: it is in the key interests of every artist that all creative expression be protected in a society that values culture, and that this interference campaign is condemned and ridiculed,” the statement said.

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