Film venue latest to axe Kneecap screening

A Cheshire venue has cancelled a screening of a film about hip-hop trio Kneecap after a clip on social media appeared to show one of the band members calling for the death of British MPs.

Storyhouse in Chester was due to show Kneecap, a comedy drama about the rise of the band from Belfast, as part of its Moonlight Flicks in the Park series at Grosvenor Park on 13 July.

Counter-terror police are also investigating footage which appeared to show a band member shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah".

The band said it has never supported either of those groups and would not incite violence against any individual.

Storyhouse said it was "committed to free expression... but also to the safety, dignity, and respect of all communities".

Several of Kneecap's gigs have been cancelled by venues around the world.

The Belfast-based group previously apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox, but claimed the footage had been "taken out of all context and weaponised"

Kneecap said they rejected "any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever".

Councillor Adrian Waddelove, Conservative group leader at Cheshire West and Chester Council, had written to the Storyhouse, which is subsidised by the local authority, urging the film to be pulled, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In his letter, he wrote: "I believe many local council taxpayers would be shocked to understand that their money is being used to give Kneecap a platform in Chester."

Confirming the decision to cancel the screening, a Storyhouse representative said: "This decision follows comments made by a member of the group that have recently come to light which allude to violence against MPs.

"We are committed to free expression and critical debate but also to the safety, dignity, and respect of all communities."

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