Irish language rap group Kneecap have won their discrimination case against the UK government after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch refused them funding.
The trio – who have been criticised by former Tory government members for some of their lyrics – launched legal action, claiming the decision to withhold the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationalist and political opinion.
After a brief hearing at Belfast High Court on Friday, it was agreed the government would pay the band £14,250 – the same amount the grant was for.
The group’s application to the Music Export Growth Scheme, which supports UK-registered artists in global markets, was initially accepted by the British Phonographic Industry.
But it was later refused by Mrs Badenoch – now Conservative leader – when she was business secretary, as the grant is overseen by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
At the time, a government spokesperson said it fully supported freedom of speech, but that it was “hardly surprising” it did not want to hand out UK taxpayers’ money to those opposed to the United Kingdom.
The band said on Friday it would donate the money to two youth organisations in Belfast – one from a nationalist and one from a unionist area.
‘They have tried to silence us’
Band member DJ Provai arrived at court in an old Land Rover styled to look like a police vehicle, which was bearing the Irish and Palestinian flags and blaring loud music.
He was wearing his usual Irish tricolour balaclava, which he removed to enter the court building.
Speaking after the hearing, DJ Provai, whose real name is JJ O’Dochartaigh, said the band’s motivation was “equality”.
“For us, this action was never about £14,250; it could have been 50p,” he said.
“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.”
He added: “The former secretary of state Kemi Badenoch and her department acted unlawfully; this is now a fact.
“They have tried to silence us and they have failed.”
A statement from the Department for Business and Trade said the government’s priority is to “try and reduce costs and help protect the taxpayer from further expense”.
It said the government will not contest Kneecap’s challenge as it does not believe it is in the public interest.
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Who are Kneecap?
Formed in 2017 in west Belfast, Kneecap consists of three friends who perform under the stage names Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai.
The group have previously voiced views in favour of Irish unity and a particularly provocative poster for their 2019 “Farewell to the Union” tour angered the Conservative Party.
Their song Brits Out (which they told Sky News earlier this year is a tongue-in-cheek poke at government rule) also caused controversy, while their references to drug-taking led to them being banned from Irish public service broadcaster RTE.
But the band has enjoyed huge success both on stage and screen.
Earlier this year they released a biopic film, also called Kneecap, starring Irish-German actor and Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender.
The film was likened to Trainspotting, 8 Mile and 24 Hour Party People by critics and in January, it won the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival, an internationally recognised showcase for independent cinema.
It has also been named as Ireland’s official submission for the best international feature film shortlist at the 2025 Oscars.
