The municipal authority for the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud says it is pulling a 40,000 euro ($46,000) subsidy for the annual Rock-en-Seine music festival over its inclusion of Irish rap group Kneecap.
The group has drawn criticism due to its vocal anti-Israel messaging, including allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a gig. It is scheduled to play on the final day of the Rock-en-Seine festival, which takes place from August 21 to August 24.
The city says it respects the festival’s programming freedom, and had not sought “to enter into any negotiations with a view to influencing the programming.”
“On the other hand it does not finance political action, nor demands, and even less calls to violence, such as calls to kill lawmakers, whatever their nationality,” the statement adds.
Rock-en-Seine could not be immediately reached for comment.
Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who is known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May with a terrorism offense in Britain. He denies the charge.
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