Why are Kneecap not in prison?

[BlossomBlanket]

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?)

The word play existed long before the band -

Bhì beirt fear in san IRA ag súil síos an mbóthar nuair a chonaic siad fear ag suí ar an mballa.

'An cheapainn tù go bhfuil an fear sin san UVF' arsa Martin.
'Knee cheapaim' arsa Gerry.

Two men in the IRA are walking down the street and they see a man sitting on a wall.

"Do you think that man's in the UVF?" says Martin
Then Gerry says "Ni ceapaim" which is irish for "I dont think so" but sounds like "Kneecap him"

Given that the majority of people in NI lived through the troubles and reports of shootings, punishment beatings etc as part of everyday life they have always been a subject of humour. BBC NI had a long running comedy programme in which the main characters were basically 'funny' terrorists... The loyalist versions club was called 'the kneebreakers'. Derry Girls touched on some of the same issues, albeit much more gently.

Anyone getting worked up about the name kneecap seems pretty ridiculous, unless you are also offended by the B52's, massive attack, bomb the bass, anthrax etc

Yes. Taking control of something that would have caused great fear in the past and would have prevented them from having the opportunity to do what (some) young people do (take drugs).
im far from their target audience but this is a general concept, music is art, art confronts, many bands have names or songs that will confront and offend. This is way off topic now.

I didn’t say it was anything to do with an examination board.

Yes, I do. I don’t think she should have been jailed for posting something on Facebook. No matter how much I disagree with what she said

It’s not ridiculous to be concerned when it’s accompanied by balaclava wearing, name Provai and calls to kill MPs

Concern is one thing.
Calling for cancellation, prison sentences and accusing anyone who disagrees of being a terrorist sympathiser is too far in my opinion

@Traybake99 thank you, I’d read that before but couldn’t find the full reference.

Thanks for confirming. I think if there's consistency then people would be more ok. Jail for one and a statement for another does feel like such a huge gap.

ETA we also have Streeting saying people make mistakes re Powell. It adds to the problem.

I completely agree.
It’s only relatively recently in human history that we can say words and those words can reach a huge audience. The whole where does free speech end and censorship start debate is an interesting one and I’m not completely sure myself where the line should be drawn.
I can only say that it doesn’t sit right with me that governments have power to imprison people for the words they say. Where does it end?

For me, I don’t ever post my opinions on anything other than on anonymous websites such as this one. I do try to be careful with my words but I also try to think critically about what other people say and try and think for myself.

But we do have a culture now where it seems to be easy to radicalise people, especially young people, and that’s scary too. Perhaps critical thinking is where the answer lies.

An ex- school teacher in a stripy hat is one of the least threatening or offensive things to come out of NI.

@Traybake99
kneecapping and punishment beatings have not always been a subject of humour!
kneecapping was most prevalent in west belfast for joyriding, asb. The same joyriding the IRA encouraged in the early 70’s to tie up police resources then it got out of hand. Is still a problem there today.
Kneecap is not a play on the irish language they know what they are at.

David Amess repeatedly voted against gay marriage and supported a total abortion ban, as well as being very pro-Brexit, so it's not the case that everyone thought he was 'lovely'.

(For the avoidance of doubt I don't think this justified what happened)

Sorry, thought you were the poster I was replying to.

in any case, I did not suggest that it was not a reference to kneecapping so I wasn’t sure what your reply to me was about, I was just correcting the other poster’s mistake about exam boards.

The vast majority of NI 'alternative' comedians including current mainstream people like Paddy Kielty, joked about the the troubles, punishment beatings, terrorists etc. Give my head peace ran for 20 years on the BBC in one form or another and their equivalent to the Queen Vic was called the knee breakers. It is widely acknowledged that people in NI used (dark) humour to deal with the difficult circumstances that they were living in. That may be hard to understand for outsiders for example... https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/patrick-kielty-reflects-challenging-late-30081580

Also in terms of factual accuracy loyalists were carrying out punishment attacks in equal numbers with republicans from about the mid 80s and in greater numbers since the GFA.

Well written post.
I won’t pretend to be an expert (I’m a Brit 😂) but have been trying to learn more about Irish history and the lead up to, and the period during the troubles.
I mentioned earlier in the thread about watching a documentary on the BBC called once upon a time in Northern Ireland - I found it very informative and thought provoking and also emotional. Not at all one-sided (in my opinion) but real human stories about what people had to go through and what they still live with. Peace seemed to me to be a bitter pill to swallow on both sides even though it was necessary. Imagine knowing the guy that killed your wife served just 12 months in prison before he was released as part of the GFA and still seeing him occasionally in your home city.
It does not surprise me one bit that one of the coping mechanisms employed was comedy/satire

There may well have been comedians who joked about the troubles, some funny some not so I am well aware of NI dark humour.
For factual relevancy up until the mid eighties loyalist numbers of punishment beatings were not carried out in equal numbers to republicans and kneecapping was more prevalent in republican areas particularly west Belfast.
Balaclavas are a trigger point for many from NI and Kneecaps being a tricolour is particularly offensive to a large number from NI due to how is was mis-used by republicans. The band know that full well.

The left are now no longer defined by any core principals, not one will they abandon in a heartbeat in the service of a trendy cause.

Seriously? Ireland was colonised by the British, as such a lot of Irish people have a affinity with the underdog and with other countries that were colonised. This isn't new or trendy. I went on Palestine marches in the 1990s.

In terms of abandoning in a heart beat - they are putting their livelihoods at stake here particularly in terms of American visas because of their stance of calling out the genocide in Gaza, UK and USA support and 'muted concerns' from the EU despite the fact that the freedom flotilla was attacked off the coast of Malta in EU Waters.

Given the protests in Ireland today perhaps they could try some activism closer to home?

A stripy hat ? 🙄
The attempts to make terrorist paraphernalia sound cosy are not convincing

Of course they know exactly what wearing a tricolour balaclava alludes to . ( ex teacher in a stripy hat 🙄)

Balaclavas are triggering for anyone who has experienced criminal behaviour from men who cover their faces

A lot of stuff that Paddy Kielty has done more recently has been really well done, thought provoking, balanced. Given his own history (his father was murdered by loyalists) his willingness to meet with loyalists and try and understand and present their point of view rather than dismiss them or hate them is an example to many.
Meeting people you would rather not meet is part of life for many, given who we chose to elect after the GFA we have many people in all levels of government with a past involving violence up to and including murder. Resulting in a visit from a government minister, for example, to your work place requiring you to accept that as normal.

Said on a thread full of (I assume) mainly Brits/Irish debating over the situation in Gaza?
Ok then

I enjoyed his being interviewed as a part of that documentary. I’d like to check out the one he has done that was mentioned in the link you shared.

This is where that reality cannot be comprehended by people who haven’t lived through it. I certainly couldn’t imagine it

I’ve never said I think jail is the right answer but I’m surprised you think cancelling a band that glorifies terrorism through its name, words , balaclava wearing etc is too far?

Absolutely