TRNSMT 2025: Kneecap removed from festival line-up due to 'significant policing' concerns

• Kneecap have been removed from this year’s TRNSMT festival bill.
• Police Scotland have cited ‘significant policing’ around their set as the reasons for the move.
• The band however have pointed out that they did not pull out of the festival and have arranged a new Glasgow date to ‘make up’ for the move.

Irish hip-hop group Kneecap has been removed from the line-up at this year’s TRNSMT Festival, held at Glasgow Green, due to what police have called a ‘significant’ operation.

The group has been under fire for its rhetoric regarding Palestine, and its member Mo Chara, born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, has been charged with a terror offence by London’s Metropolitan Police.

A statement from Police Scotland commented that “Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience' and that in order to deliver a safe event, a 'significant policing operation' would be required.

The statement also explained that 'there was no prior consultation with Police Scotland “before acts were booked.”

Taking to their social media accounts, Kneecap responded to fans: 'To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry…it is out of our hands,' they wrote. “Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We’ve played there many many times, with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will.”

The group has added an additional Glasgow date on July 8, 2025, at the O2 Academy to make amends for their removal. They were also very keen to point out that 'Kneecap didn’t ‘pull out’ of TRNSMT – Kneecap were removed.'

Calls have been made for Kneecap to be removed from a number of festivals after videos emerged of the group at previous shows allegedly calling for attacks on local MPs and displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah – actions that led to the aforementioned terror charge against Mo Chara.

So far, the group have seen their festival appearances at Germany’s Hurricane Festival, Southside Festival, Cornwall’s Eden Project and a replacement show in Plymouth pulled owing to the controversy surrounding the group, with many MPs now calling for their appearance at Glastonbury Festival in late June to also be pulled.

Kneecap have described the situation a “carnival of distraction”, and have maintained it was “political policing” and that they were not the story, rather, “Genocide is”.

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