Labour MP Christian Wakeford has called for Irish hip-hop group Kneecap to be removed from the lineup of an upcoming Fontaines D.C. concert at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester.
Describing their inclusion as “completely inappropriate,” Wakeford addressed a formal letter to the leader of Manchester City Council requesting that the group be pulled from the bill due to concerns over their political messaging and past actions.
The August 15 event is part of a two-night series in the park, which will also feature sets from English Teacher and The Murder Capital. Sam Fender is also set to headline the second night. Reports surfaced over the weekend that discussions had begun between the council and the concert’s promoter regarding whether Kneecap should remain on the lineup, citing safety concerns.
Wakeford’s complaint centre’s on the group’s support for Palestinian rights and an incident involving member Mo Chara, who was arrested on a terror charge late last year. That charge followed the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a concert and on-stage comments interpreted by some as promoting violence. Kneecap have denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah and have consistently stated that they do not incite violence against any individuals or political figures.
The Metropolitan Police recently confirmed that no action would be taken over past footage of Mo Chara telling a crowd to “kill your local MP,” stating that there was insufficient evidence for prosecution. In his letter, Wakeford referenced the remark as “open evidence” that the group promotes messages incompatible with democratic values, tolerance and respect. He argued that allowing Kneecap to perform in Manchester, a city with one of the UK’s largest Jewish populations, would be reckless and inflammatory.
Kneecap previously faced similar opposition earlier this year. While Glastonbury organisers did not remove the band from its 2025 lineup despite pressure from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the group was later cut from several European festivals including TRNSMT, Hurricane, Southside and the Eden Project in Cornwall.
The trio did appear earlier this month at Finsbury Park in London, opening for Fontaines D.C., where their set went ahead without incident. They also released a video for their new track The Recap, which targets Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.
Mo Chara is currently on unconditional bail while legal proceedings continue. The group has described past performances as “satirical,” and said they will not explain what is or is not intended as a joke. It remains unclear whether Manchester City Council or the event promoters will respond to Wakeford’s demands. Still it goes without saying, the more controversy Kneecap create, the bigger they seem to get.
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