Kneecap: Young people wearing tricolour balaclavas at Vital festival in Belfast 'deeply troubling' due to association with terrorism
The sight of young people wearing balaclavas at the Kneecap concert in Belfast is "deeply troubling" because the masks are so closely associated with terrorist murders during the Troubles, a Belfast City Councillor has said.
The PSNI has also said that it recognised the concern caused by the balaclavas but said that the risk of violence was not significant enough to intervene.
On stage at the Vital festival on Boucher Playing fields in Belfast on Friday, Kneecap slammed the DUP and the Alliance Party for trying to "cancel their gig". They also criticised Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, the US military and McDonalds fast food chain.
It comes after band member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, appeared in court charged with a terrorism offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah during a gig in London in November.
The group said their actions had been taken out of context and that the case should be thrown out because of a technical error.
The band is well known for singer DJ Próvai wearing a tricolour Balaclava.
On Friday, various stalls sprung up around the concert selling similar balaclavas.
But TUV Deputy Leader and Belfast City Council Ron McDowell said the facemasks are too closely associated with terrorism.
“The sight of young people wearing green, white, and orange balaclavas at the Kneecap concert in Belfast last Friday is deeply troubling," he said.
"These are not fashion items—they are associated with the terrorist campaign that terrorised our Province.”
He noted that Monday 1 September is Orange Victims Day, coinciding with the IRA murdering five Orangemen during a lodge meeting at Tullyvallen Orange Hall 50 years ago.
"The killers had their faces covered. It is not progress for young people today to see dressing in similar attire as amusing.”
“The sale of such merchandise on council property is wholly inappropriate and insensitive to communities who have suffered decades of violence.”
He said he would press Belfast City Council to investigate the sales and take enforcement action.
A PSNI spokesman said that they were "aware of concerns raised" that some individuals attending the concert were observed wearing balaclavas.
He added: "While the wearing of such items can understandably cause concern, the legislation under Article 23 (a) and (b) of the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 can only be invoked where there is reasonable belief that a risk of violence exists. On this occasion the threshold for using those powers was not met."
PSNI Superintendent Allister Hagan added: “We recognise that the wearing of balaclavas can cause unease. However, police powers in this area are specific and can only be applied where there is evidence of a risk of violence.
“We will always take proportionate and lawful action where that threshold is met and keep this under continual review. Our priority is to keep people safe and ensure that events can be enjoyed by all.”
The News Letter invited Kneecap manager, former Irish diplomat Dan Lambert to comment on the matter. He once again gave his stock answer to the News Letter.
"There’s journalism and then there’s the News Letter Belfast. Nobody from Kneecap will be providing comment to your ‘paper’, ever.”