At this year's Glastonbury Festival, the fields were buzzing not just with music but with raw political energy as Irish rap trio Kneecap and London-based rap punk duo Bob Vylan turned the world's biggest green field into a stage for protest.
Kneecap, known for their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging, didn't hold back. In front of thousands waving Palestinian flags, member Liam O'Hanna—stage name Mo Chara—led chants directly targeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Glastonbury, I'm a free man,” he shouted, referencing recent court appearances over an alleged display of a Hezbollah flag and comments in support of Hamas.
The charge, which carries a “terror” offence for expressing support for banned groups in the UK, is denied by O'Hanna. “This situation can be quite stressful but it's minimal compared to what the Palestinian people are facing,” he said, slipping into his trademark keffiyah. He also gave a shout-out to the recently proscribed Palestine Action Group, deepening the festival's flashpoint with national law enforcement.
Moments earlier, Bob Vylan kicked off their set by chanting “Death, death to the IDF,” drawing a swift rebuke from Israel’s embassy in London and prompting local police to review their comments for potential offences. For followers of rap punk and political art, the duo’s raw take on global conflict offered a stark reminder that music festivals can be arenas for activism as much as entertainment.
But it wasn't all controversy. Between protest sets and police briefings, Britpop legends Pulp surprised fans with an electrifying show under the alias Patchwork. Frontman Jarvis Cocker had the crowd singing along to Common People, proving that the spirit of Glastonbury still thrives on musical surprises.
Festival co-founder Michael Eavis stood by his lineup, firing back at critics who said political artists had no place at Glastonbury. “People that don’t like the politics of the event can go somewhere else,” he told the festival goers’ newspaper, reaffirming Glastonbury’s legacy as a space for free expression.
With headliners like Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo still to come, plus sets from Charli XCX and Rod Stewart, the festival continues through Sunday. But this weekend’s protests have already sparked global debate on where music, politics, and free speech intersect—a conversation that, much like the festival itself, shows no sign of ending anytime soon.
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Irish rappers Kneecap & rap punk duo provide Glastonbury controversy
cgtn.com
