Irish language rappers Kneecap has won its legal challenge over a decision to refuse them a £14,250 stg. funding award with the British Government forced to accept that decision was “unlawful” on grounds of nationality and political opinion.
During a brief hearing at Belfast High Court on Friday, barrister for Kneecap Ronan Lavery KC said: “It is declared that the decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair, took into account immaterial considerations and failed to take into account relevant factors.”
It was agreed that the sum of £14,250 would be paid by the Government to the group.
The west Belfast hip-hop artists had applied for a grant allocated to support UK-registered artists in global markets which had been approved by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
However, the grant scheme is overseen by the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at Westminster.
Former Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, now the Conservative Party leader, decided to refuse the funding in February.
A government spokesperson said it fully supported freedom of speech, but that it was “hardly surprising” that it did not want to hand out UK taxpayers’ money to those opposed to the United Kingdom.
Kneecap, formed in 2017 by three friends who perform under the stage names Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai is well-known to be in favour of Irish unity, and its poster for 2019’s Farewell to the Union tour, riled up the Conservative Party.
Following the agreement, the band said it would donate the grant to two youth organisations in Belfast – one from a nationalist and one from a unionist area.
A statement from the band said: “For us, this action was never about £14,250; it could have been 50 pence.
“The motivation was equality.
“This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves.”
The statement added: “They don’t like that we oppose British rule, that we don’t believe that England serves anyone in Ireland and the working classes on both sides of the community deserve better; deserve funding, deserve appropriate mental health services, deserve to celebrate music and art and deserve the freedom to express our culture.
“They broke their own laws in trying to silence Kneecap.”
Adding further: “They have tried to silence us and they have failed.”
Darragh Mackin from Phoenix Law, said: “A court has exonerated our clients and declared this decision unlawful in every sense of the word.
“Today is not only a victory for Kneecap, but a victory for the arts, for culture, for the freedom of expression.
“Kneecap continue to lead by example in practising what they preach.”
They don’t like that we oppose British rule, that we don’t believe that England serves anyone in Ireland and the working classes on both sides of the community deserve better; deserve funding, deserve appropriate mental health services, deserve to celebrate music and art and… pic.twitter.com/8L9SnU5aTC
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) November 29, 2024
