UK government acted illegally in stopping funding to Kneecap, court rules
"This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves”
By Nick Reilly
Kneecap have won their court case against the British government after a Belfast court ruled that the decision to withhold £14,250 in funding to the group because of their political views was illegal.
The outspoken Belfast group, known for delivering songs in the Irish language, applied for a grant from the Music Export Growth Scheme in 2023, a government-backed arts programme which provides funding for artists to promote music overseas.
The application was initially approved by the British Phonographic Industry, before it emerged in June that the funding had been rescinded by the Kemi Badenoch – the business secretary at the time.
In a statement, a government spokesperson said it did not want to give taxpayers’ money to “people that oppose the United Kingdom itself”.
The staunch Republican trio are known for songs such as ‘Get Your Brits Out’, while the group’s DJ Próvaí arrived at Belfast High Court in an RUC Land Rover for the short court hearing.
In a statement, the band said: “For us this action was never about £14,250, it could have been 50 pence. The motivation was equality. This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves.”
They continued: “They don’t like that we oppose British rule, that we don’t believe that England serves anyone in Ireland and the working classes on both sides of the community deserve better; deserve funding, deserve appropriate mental health services, deserve to celebrate music and art and deserve the freedom to express our culture.
“They didn’t like the fact that we are totally opposed to all they represent, embodied right now by their arming of genocide in Gaza. What they did was a fascist type action, an attempt to block art that does not agree with their views after an independent body made a decision. Their own courts have now found in Kneecap’s favour, as we knew they would. They have tried to silence us and they have failed.”
The group added: “Free Palestine!”
The trio now plan to donate the full sum to two youth organisations in Belfast “to create a better future for our young people”. They are Glór na Móna, which supports Irish language activities and culture, and R-City Belfast, which offers opportunities for the youth.
Kneecap’s solicitor, Darragh Mackin, said: “Kneecap continue to lead by example in practising what they preach. Not only do they sing about cearta (rights), but today they have shown they will even hold the British government itself to account to protect them.”
They will play a fundraising gig for Palestine at Brixton Academy organised by Paul Weller next month, before headlining South London’s Wide Awake Festival next year.