Kneecap: UK government acted illegally in withholding funding from Irish rap trio

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/29/kneecap-uk-government-acted-illegally-in-withholding-funding-from-irish-rap-trio?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

by ClassicFlavour

21 comments

  2. > 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.”

    Well done on invoking the Streisand effect, Kemi. You just handed these guys a megaphone.

  5. >Kemi Badenoch, had rescinded the funding. A government spokesperson said it did not want to give taxpayers’ money to “people that oppose the United Kingdom itself”.

    Also Kemi Badenoch

    >Hate crime laws must be reviewed to protect free speech… the state should not act to enforce preference

    edit: my point isn’t really clear here (am hungover) but I was thinking about her, and other Tories, arguing against ‘no platforming’.

    Here is a quote from her Tufton Street paper on Free Speech:

    > [The censorship or ‘no-platforming’ of high-profile individuals
    rightly makes the headlines, but what is particularly societally
    insidious are the relentless campaigns that aim to diminish
    people through discomfort — dismissing them as various types
    of ‘ists’ — rather than debating the rights and wrongs of their
    opinions.](https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/sites/www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/files/2024-01/Freeish-Speech.pdf)

    And for clarity ‘platform’ used in this context means

    >[a means or opportunity to communicate ideas or information to a group of people](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/platform)

  6. Their film (Kneecap) which was in cinemas earlier this year was one of the funniest I have seen for some time.

  8. The level of anti Irish sentiment in this sub is honestly concerning at times.

  10. This thread has “silly paddy’s should know their place” energy. If you insist on the 6 counties being part of the UK, then that works both ways. They should have the same entitlement as other citizen of the UK, despite their belief system. Would a London drill act that “rap” about violence and gangland mentality get excluded from funding? Their sentiment seems just as anti-establishment.

  11. I have never listened to their music, but it is nice of them to donate the money to the Irish language organisation.

  13. As someone from the North of Ireland who identifies as irish, accepting that I live in the UK, I am disgusted by the comments here.

    A lot of people showing they know absolutely fuck all about NI and showing a very bitter, patronising and frankly sectarian attitude towards Irish people in the North.

    If people seriously cannot see the issue with a government intervening in arts funding due to political beliefs then I’m lost for words because that is what a propaganda state does.

  14. I’m not going to say I agree with everything these lads say and think about the UK, but they’re absolutely right here.

    Irish republicans held within the British state against their will… but if they try to access British funding for something it can’t be critical of the UK? Piss off lol the hypocrisy is rank

  15. It’s objectively hilarious how well Kneecap have riled people up in here.

  16. With friends like the Guardian who needs enemies, people reading the headline might assume Labour are somehow responsible, but it was Kemi Badenoch who made the decision!

  18. Looks like this ruling upset a bunch of little Englanders. Excellent.

    Heard they’re donating the winning fee to 2 youth groups in Ireland, one for protestants and one for catholics.

  19. Irish Nationalists who disagree with British rule still have to pay taxes like anyone else. They have as much right to expect to be able to access funding for art that reflects their beliefs and values as much as any other group.

  20. For the people who are missing it the news in this story is:

    “Former minister and current leader of the opposition acted illegally in order to withhold funding based on her political views by exerting pressure on an independent body in a manner in which she did not have authority.”

  21. Doesn’t take long for the colonial mindset to show itself when British people are talking Northern Ireland.

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