Johnny Marr is the latest musician to come to the defense of Irish group Kneecap, who have been receiving blowback and legal action over their pro-Palestine stance. Specifically, he has shared a statement responding to calls for their upcoming Glastonbury 2025 performance to be censored. The festival still has them on the lineup and the BBC will air their performance as part of their live coverage, but there have been calls to bleep political talk during their set.
“I’ve played Glastonbury many times and the festival has always had a political aspect,” Marr wrote in a statement. “It was founded as a place of free expression and political activism and it’s a fact that I agreed to play there with The Smiths in 1984 purely because to do so at the time was a political act.”
Marr continues: “We are living through very troubling times, but for anyone who’s been interested in me or my music over the last 40 years, I feel like my political stance has always been very clear. Oppression fears artistic expression. I respect all musicians who use their platform to speak out against injustice, who promote compassion and equality and give voice to the voiceless.”
He concluded his statement with, “I stand with my audience and fellow musicians who call for an immediate end to the atrocities and a free Palestine.”
Glastonbury 2025 happens June 25-29 and the lineup includes Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, Turnstile, Supergrass, Raye, Noah Kahan, Charli XCX, Deftones, The Prodigy, Amyl & The Sniffers, and lots more.
— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) June