Irish Rap Group Kneecap Cancels U.s. Tour Dates Due To Court Battle Over Terrorism Charge

Irish rap group Kneecap has canceled each of its upcoming circuit dates successful nan U.S. owed to a scheduling conflict pinch a set member's tribunal day successful London complete a coercion related charge.

Kneecap announced nan news Monday successful a societal media post, saying that each 15 of its October shows successful nan U.S. had to beryllium axed "as nan British authorities continues it's witch-hunt."

"With each show afloat sold out, to tens of thousands of fans, this news is sad to deliver," Kneecap wrote. "But erstwhile we triumph our tribunal case, which we will, we committedness to embark connected an moreover bigger circuit to each you awesome heads."

Refunds are disposable to those who had tickets to nan shows, nan set said.

Kneecap recovered itself successful ineligible problem successful May, aft constabulary successful London accused Liam O'Hanna, 27, of violating a portion of nan U.K.'s coercion rule that bans group from displaying flags "in specified a measurement aliases successful specified circumstances arsenic to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is simply a supporter" of groups nan state considers terrorists.

The Metropolitan constabulary astatine nan clip said it had launched an investigation into O'Hanna — whose sanction successful Irish is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh and who performs arsenic Mo Chara successful nan hip-hop trio — aft it saw a video online of nan vocalist displaying nan emblem of Hezbollah astatine a venue northbound of London connected Nov. 21.

Hezbollah has been designated a violent statement by nan United States, nan U.K. and different countries complete its militant activities and its ties to Iran. The group is considered a Shia governmental statement and militant statement based successful Lebanon.

Kneecap successful April performed astatine Coachella successful beforehand of a screen featuring nan words "F--- Israel, Free Palestine." That lawsuit did not output criminal charges successful nan U.S., but did punctual show organizers to censor nan livestream of nan band's performance, nan group claimed successful a post connected X astatine nan time.

Kneecap has characterized disapproval of its views connected Israel's warfare successful Gaza arsenic a "coordinated smear campaign"

"Those attacking america want to soundlessness disapproval of a wide slaughter," Kneecap said successful a connection successful April. "They weaponize mendacious accusations of antisemitism to distract, confuse, and supply screen for genocide."

The set told its U.S. fans to clasp tight, and that bully news is coming.

"We will beryllium sharing thing very typical for US fans adjacent week truthful that we tin still nexus successful pinch you each successful October," Kneecap said Monday. "It's apical concealed for now but each will beryllium revealed adjacent week — stay tuned."

Kneecap's Canadian circuit dates successful Vancouver and Toronto will not beryllium affected, arsenic nan set said it plans connected playing 4 sold retired shows.