REPORT: Counter-Terror Officers Investigate Band For Hamas Support, Allegedly Calling For Death Of Political Figure

The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror officers are reportedly investigating rap trio Kneecap for supporting Hamas and calling for the death of British MPs.

A recently surfaced video of their November 2023 concert showed a band member saying, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP,” according to BBC. Kneecap pushed back against the allegations, claiming they do not support Hamas or Hezbollah, and saying the video in question was taken out of context. The outlet reported that online videos showed the band shouting, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.”

KNEECAP STATEMENT:

They want you to believe words are more harmful than genocide.

Establishment figures, desperate to silence us, have combed through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, extracting a handful of words from months or years ago to manufacture moral… pic.twitter.com/qZht5532Zf

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) April 28, 2025

“On April 22, we were made aware of an online video believed to be from a music event in London in November 2024,” The Metropolitan Police said Thursday, according to BBC. “Following this, we were made aware of a further video, believed to be from another music event in London in November 2023.”

“Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos.”

Kneecap issued a statement April 28 saying they rejected “any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever.”

“An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action,” they wrote on X. “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah.”

The band referenced two MPs who were murdered in the UK in recent years.

“To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt,” they wrote.

The band faced widespread criticism after projecting anti-Israel messaging at their performance at the Coachella Music Festival earlier in April, and have since had their Plymouth show cancelled just two days after it was announced.

The BBC reported that a cabinet minister came forward to say the band should not be allowed to perform at Glastonbury festival, where they are listed to play May 3.

Sharon Osbourne called for the Glastonbury Festival to cancel Kneecap’s scheduled performance during her May 1 interview on “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”

“Now these little people are backtracking, ‘We don’t support Hezbollah, Hamas.’ Give me a break. Give me a break! They were chanting it at the festival,” she said.

“And my whole stance is, have your own belief politically, couldn’t give a damn what you believe in, but don’t bring it to a music festival where there’s peace. Music unites people. Music doesn’t separate people.”

Despite the criticism, Billboard reported that the band’s weekly U.S. streams nearly doubled since their appearance at Coachella. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Nova Music Festival Survivor Shares Her Story, Calls Out Music Artists For Political Messaging)

Kneecap’s U.S. on-demand streams totaled 431,000 across its catalog prior to Coachella.

The outlet reported that two weeks later, after the festival, 852,000 streams were recorded, demonstrating a 97% increase.