Why are Kneecap not in prison?

RumNotRun · 29/04/2025 21:58

I heard something about the story earlier. Apparently they have said that the comments were "taken out of context". Unless the context was something along the lines of "only a psycho would say this", then I don't think the context would make a difference.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 29/04/2025 22:02

Lucy Connelly is the outlier not Kneecap. It isn’t usual to be arrested for saying something stupid, unless there’s good reason to think you are seriously trying to incite violence and have enough of an audience to succeed.

Lucy Connelly doesn’t score on either count and Kneecap only on the latter.

None of them should be in prison.

Psychoticbreak · 29/04/2025 22:07

Why is trump in presidency instead of behind bars?
Why are the gobshites that voted for brexit not in prison?

Seriously you are asking about lads taken out of context who have had to live in areas that have been through the troubles as have their parents and potentially siblings and your issue is on heresay?

Willyoujustbequiet · 29/04/2025 22:09

Bollocks was it taken out of context.

Incitement to murder is a serious criminal offence and they should be charged.

ExtraOnions · 29/04/2025 22:13

BlossomBlanket · 29/04/2025 19:49

But Lucy Connelly is? Kneecap told people to kill their MPs. Why have they not been arrested.

(To be very clear, I do not condone violence of any kind towards anyone, I'm just asking as this seems like a double standard, can someone explain?)

Lucy Connolly is in prison, because she pled guilty to an inprisonanble crime.

Kneecap are under investigation. They aren’t going to hurled into prison without an investigation / charge.

Bartoz · 29/04/2025 22:18

I’ve no time for kneecap. I think music is rubbish, they are misguided on their adoration of the IRA, the celebrate the deliberate maiming of innocent catholics and they are vocal supporters of terrorist groups. All this is probably a ploy to sell their music.

However, we have freedom of speech in the UK (and Ireland). People can legally give vocal support to whomever they choose. There are numerous instances of artists using their art to support fairly heinous organisations and violent acts. That’s what freedom of speech ensures.

SnoozingFox · 29/04/2025 22:20

The group's name tells you exactly the sort of things they "sing" about.

ExtraOnions · 29/04/2025 22:22

Bartoz · 29/04/2025 22:18

I’ve no time for kneecap. I think music is rubbish, they are misguided on their adoration of the IRA, the celebrate the deliberate maiming of innocent catholics and they are vocal supporters of terrorist groups. All this is probably a ploy to sell their music.

However, we have freedom of speech in the UK (and Ireland). People can legally give vocal support to whomever they choose. There are numerous instances of artists using their art to support fairly heinous organisations and violent acts. That’s what freedom of speech ensures.

Freedom of Speech does not mean you have the right to say anything, free of consequence.

It remains illegal to incite racial hatred, to incite murder, to write malicious communications etc

Lucy Connolly did one, Kneecap has done another

Traybake99 · 29/04/2025 22:23

ExtraOnions · 29/04/2025 22:13

Lucy Connolly is in prison, because she pled guilty to an inprisonanble crime.

Kneecap are under investigation. They aren’t going to hurled into prison without an investigation / charge.

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Because hurling young men from West Belfast into prison without trial was tried before it and didn't turn out so well?

Anotherparkingthread · 29/04/2025 22:24

I love kneecap :)

Seen them a few times as well

SlatternIsMyMiddleName · 29/04/2025 22:27

The type of person who would ‘listen’ to kneecap, and be incited to take action by those words has no love for any politician. Kneecap wouldn’t have put the idea in their head, they had it already.

The person who would be potentially incited would not need kneecap to tell them to do it. They would do it anyway.

It’s a bit like Rage against the Machine telling everyone to “fuck the police” back in the day. It’s just words in a song designed to stir up the crowd, not to be taken literally.

Some sections of NI have been chanting FTP (I’m not spelling that one out), or the other side equivalent, for years. Words designed to inflame the crowd, not to be taken literally.

Greenartywitch · 29/04/2025 22:27

Seriously?

Don't we have more important things to worry about in this country that three idiot rappers mouthing off?

All the ridiculous outrage is simply giving them the oxygen of publicity and increased downloads of their music.

Frankly we have more important issues to deal with in the UK...

JorgyPorgy · 29/04/2025 22:27

BlossomBlanket · 29/04/2025 19:49

But Lucy Connelly is? Kneecap told people to kill their MPs. Why have they not been arrested.

(To be very clear, I do not condone violence of any kind towards anyone, I'm just asking as this seems like a double standard, can someone explain?)

And another question is how is there room in prison for her when some worse criminals escape jail or get let out early as prisons are full ?
Kneecap should get cancelled.
Both should be punished. Up to the judge how I guess.

Willyoujustbequiet · 29/04/2025 22:28

Bartoz · 29/04/2025 22:18

I’ve no time for kneecap. I think music is rubbish, they are misguided on their adoration of the IRA, the celebrate the deliberate maiming of innocent catholics and they are vocal supporters of terrorist groups. All this is probably a ploy to sell their music.

However, we have freedom of speech in the UK (and Ireland). People can legally give vocal support to whomever they choose. There are numerous instances of artists using their art to support fairly heinous organisations and violent acts. That’s what freedom of speech ensures.

Legally they can't though. It's a criminal offence to support Hezbollah or Hamas.

scalt · 29/04/2025 22:31

Why is Boris Johnson not behind bars for lying on a massive scale?

Why is Tony Blair not behind bars, for telling a massive lie?

When people with far less responsibility than these two can be jailed for lying about who was driving a speeding car.

SurfeitofLampreys · 29/04/2025 22:40

“Out of context” is the latest and most popular mealy mouthed excuse for everything. Shout “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” to a crowd - out of context. Tell people to murder their MP - out of context. I’d be really interested to understand what context they’re referring to that makes either statement acceptable.

It’s up there with the “it’s just banter” defence, which is equally piss poor.

Churp · 29/04/2025 22:45

It's called two tier policing. They wanted to make an example of Lucy Connolly. I fully support incitement being illegal and what she said was vile, but you really have to make a stretch to read her posts as incitement. On the other hand, there's an imam in London who was inciting people to destroy the houses of Jewish people and the police didn't even charge him. And of course Kneecap. In some ways I think the police treat some groups like kids who can't possibly mean what they say, but they treat right-wingers as grown-ups who can be held to account.

Bartoz · 29/04/2025 22:46

@ExtraOnionsyou’re right. That’s what the courts are there to decide on. That doesn’t limit freedom of speech.

Nunaluna · 29/04/2025 22:48

Psychoticbreak · 29/04/2025 22:07

Why is trump in presidency instead of behind bars?
Why are the gobshites that voted for brexit not in prison?

Seriously you are asking about lads taken out of context who have had to live in areas that have been through the troubles as have their parents and potentially siblings and your issue is on heresay?

Why the fuck are the troubles endlessly and continuously brought up by people who didn’t even live through them?

Do I get to hate on Germans because they killed some of my family 80 years ago?

This is just another excuse for (some) Irish people to continue the grudge. I doubt they give a shit about Palestine.

Bartoz · 29/04/2025 22:48

Willyoujustbequiet · 29/04/2025 22:28

Legally they can't though. It's a criminal offence to support Hezbollah or Hamas.

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Not vocally it’s not. I can go about saying I’m a Hamas supporter all I want, it’s not against the law.
Sure every weekend in London there are crowds marching waiving placards showing their support for Hamas.

Nunaluna · 29/04/2025 22:50

Churp · 29/04/2025 22:45

It's called two tier policing. They wanted to make an example of Lucy Connolly. I fully support incitement being illegal and what she said was vile, but you really have to make a stretch to read her posts as incitement. On the other hand, there's an imam in London who was inciting people to destroy the houses of Jewish people and the police didn't even charge him. And of course Kneecap. In some ways I think the police treat some groups like kids who can't possibly mean what they say, but they treat right-wingers as grown-ups who can be held to account.

Absolutely this.

Look at the policing at the Sarah Everard vigil versus BLM. Women thrown to the floor and arrested for a peaceful protest. Angry men left to it and police frankly enabling them by taking the knee.

There’s a pro-left-mob, anti-woman streak running right through the police.

As for Kneecap they can fuck off. Brainless idiots chanting something they barely understand because they think it looks cool.

2dogsandabudgie · 29/04/2025 22:52

Why do I feel old? Don't have a clue what this thread is about.

Churp · 29/04/2025 22:56

Bartoz · 29/04/2025 22:48

Not vocally it’s not. I can go about saying I’m a Hamas supporter all I want, it’s not against the law.
Sure every weekend in London there are crowds marching waiving placards showing their support for Hamas.

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It literally is illegal and not only if you write it down. It's just that the police often choose not to prosecute those marchers: https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/proscription/

QuaintShaker · 29/04/2025 23:01

I don't know very little about Kneecap, or if there's any merit to the "taken out of context" claim, though it certainly looks bad for them on its face.

But you can't just throw people in prison without even an investigation. Lucy Connelly was investigated, charged, pled guilty and was sentenced. We are not the USA, we still have due process.

Iwanttoliveonamountain · 29/04/2025 23:09

Connolly encouraged people in a volatile situation to set fire to a hotel how you can say she shouldn’t be in a prison it’s just weird. She had a trial and she was found guilty.
The pop band said something yes it was controversial but I don’t think anyone listening actually think it was a command to go out and commit that act.