Irish language rappers Kneecap endorse Black Mountain Gaza message slating US president over Gaza stance – The Irish News
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on March 17, 2024
AN image appearing to show a large message on west Belfast’s Black Mountain accusing the United States of enabling genocide in Gaza has circulated online.
The picture in large writing, which says “Say no to genocide Joe,” a critical reference to President Joe Biden’s efforts so far to achieve a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, was shared by Irish language rappers Kneecap.
Recently, the group announced their withdrawal from the major US music festival South by South West (SXSW) in Austin as the event was sponsored by the American military.
The Belfast trio consisting of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí had been due to perform three gigs after making their American TV debut on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
With more than 31,000 people estimated to have been killed in Gaza since an attack by Hamas fighters killed over 1,200 Israelis in Israel in October, the group said they were pulling out “in solidarity with the people of Palestine”.
During a previous appearance on RTÉ’s Late Late Show, the trio also wore pro-Palestine badges and emblems while being interviewed by host Patrick Kielty despite telling RTÉ they would not do so.
On Friday, protests organised by Amnesty International took place in Belfast and Dublin calling for Irish leaders to make the case to Joe Biden for a permanent ceasefire in the Middle East.
The same day, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar urged the US Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Ireland to end a humanitarian crisis that “will haunt us all for years to come”.
