Green Man urged to drop Irish group amid Gaza comments and terror charge controversy

A MEMBER of Northern Irish rap group Kneecap has been charged with a terrorism offence, prompting a political backlash and renewed calls for the group to be removed from the line-up of Wales’ Green Man Festival.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London gig last November. The 27-year-old is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18, charged under anti-terror legislation. The Metropolitan Police said the flag was allegedly displayed “in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion” of support for a proscribed organisation.

The Belfast-based trio, who rap in Irish and are known for their anti-establishment lyrics, strongly deny the charge and say the case amounts to “political policing” aimed at silencing their criticism of the Israeli government’s war in Gaza.

In a statement released on Thursday (May 22), Kneecap said: “14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story — genocide is.”

The group added that they would “vehemently contest” the charge, which they claim is designed to restrict their ability to travel and perform. They said: “This is an attempt to silence artists who dare speak out.”

The charge comes after Kneecap used a recent performance at California’s Coachella festival to denounce Israel’s military action in Gaza. The group has been the subject of controversy in the UK press, with videos circulating from earlier performances that appear to show provocative political statements and banners referencing banned organisations.

While the group has distanced itself from any formal support for Hamas or Hezbollah, it continues to face criticism from campaigners and politicians.

In Wales, Shadow Minister for Culture and North Wales, Gareth Davies MS, has called for the Green Man Festival to remove Kneecap from its 2025 line-up. He previously wrote to the festival’s organisers on April 28, citing concerns over “violent and extremist rhetoric” and warning that platforming the group risks damaging the festival’s reputation.

Following the announcement of the terror charge, Mr Davies renewed his demand, stating: “It’s deeply concerning that Green Man have remained silent even after terror charges have been brought against a member of this group.

“There is a clear pattern of violent and extremist rhetoric associated with Kneecap that has no place at a respected cultural event in Wales. The festival acted quickly in 2019 to remove Meic Stevens over anti-Muslim comments. The same consistency should be applied here.”

Organisers of the Green Man Festival have yet to respond publicly.

Meanwhile, in the Republic of Ireland, Tánaiste Simon Harris declined to comment on the specific case but condemned the actions of Israel in Gaza, stating that recent attacks amounted to a “consistent pattern of war crimes” and that “we’re very much now in the space of genocidal activity”.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which reported Kneecap to the police, welcomed the prosecution and called for “the law to be enforced”.

The case is likely to further inflame tensions over freedom of expression, political activism, and public performances in Wales and beyond, particularly as summer festivals prepare to welcome artists with diverse — and often controversial — viewpoints.

A CALL to allow a Pembrokeshire village dog grooming salon to keep running as the applicant didn’t realise he needed planing permission, has been backed by county planners.

Andrew Bird, in an application to Pembrokeshire County Council through agent Matthew Hitches Architectural Services, sought permission for a retrospective change of use of a domestic outbuilding at Roslyn Hill, Stepaside, to a dog-grooming salon, along with access alterations.

The change of use was completed last October.

Amroth Community Council has raised no objection to the scheme, other than concerns about its retrospective nature, and has welcomed the access improvements proposed, having previously raised concerns about road safety in the immediate area.

A supporting statement accompanying the application for the part-time business said: 2The applicant has been using the building for this purpose for several months and was unaware of the need to apply for planning permission, as the business is located within an existing outbuilding on the property.”

It added: “The salon is currently used on a part time basis, three days per week.  The salon has just one appointment in the morning and one in the afternoon.  So, the maximum number of visitors to the property would be six per week.  The applicant has no intention of expanding the business any further.

“The vast majority of the applicant’s current clients live within Stepaside and Pleasant Valley and most will journey to the salon on foot.  Although the business is situated within the countryside, it is considered essential that this business be situated in this location as it offers a valuable service to the local community.

“If the business were to be located elsewhere, this would mean local residents would need to travel by car to use such services. The number of customers arriving by car is minimal and there is considerable space for parking and turning within the property, if needed.  It is therefore considered there will be no detrimental effect on highway safety.”

An officer report recommending approval said: “Whilst the proposal would not derive inputs from the land and would not be an enterprise for which a countryside location is essential.  It is considered that due to the re-use of an existing building, associated noise effects a countryside location away from an urban environment would be acceptable.

“Furthermore, it can be considered that an urban/industrial setting is considered to be counterintuitive to the welfare of dogs could result in additional noise.  As such, in this instance in can be considered that a countryside location may be acceptable subject to the acceptability of detailed considerations.”

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.

A PROPOSED new ‘traveller site’ on the outskirts of a Pembrokeshire village, which has seen a petition of nearly 300 objections, has been refused by national park planners.

The Authority has served an Enforcement Notice on the site, which requires its return to its previous condition.

The scheme for the creation of one traveller site incorporating one static caravan, one touring caravan, day/utility room and ecological enhancements (partly retrospective) on land at Froghall Yard, Moreton Lane, Saundersfoot, was recommended for refusal at the May 21 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, having previously been deferred for a site visit by members.

Nearly 300 people have signed a petition against the scheme and the objection to the site is also being shared by the village’s community council.

Around 50 people attended a recent meeting of the community council when members voted unanimously to object to the application by Dai Evans of Pontypool, through agents Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd.

Saundersfoot Community Council has pointed out that the site is agricultural land, with no caravan or other use in over 30 years.

There was also concern that the site – where two previous planning applications had been rejected – is overlooked from Incline Way above and cannot be screened.

Members have said granting permission “would be gross overdevelopment setting a precedent for development literally anywhere throughout the national park”.

The community council’s objection finished: “The applicant lives in Pontypool and claims no connection to the area.  There is no rationale as to why the applicant chose a site approximately 100 miles away from their home.”

A supporting statement accompanying the application stated: “The applicant belongs to a long-standing Romany Gypsy family and generations have lived a traditional and cultural lifestyle living in caravans all their lives.

“Mr Evans and his partner currently reside on an overcrowded Traveller site in Pontypool where living conditions are poor. They currently only live in rented accommodation and its brick and mortar and not in keeping with their cultural preference, as they prefer to live in a caravan.”

It says Mr Evans and family have stayed in a touring caravan at the site during the summer months since the late 1980s when it was owned by another gypsy family, later purchased by Mr Evans in 2023, clearing and refurbishing the site.

“The application’s aspirations are to continue his Gypsy culture and traditions residing in a caravan on site.”

A park officer report recommending refusal says the applicant has accommodation and is not currently homeless, giving only moderate weight “to the existing level of outstanding unmet need for Gypsy Traveller accommodation in Pembrokeshire,” adding: “That level of need should be weighed against the likely impact of development on the National Park landscape and habitat in this area.”

It says there has been “significant site clearance undertaken prior to the submission of the application, and the impact on the landscape, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience has been assessed as negative,” with officers considering further caravan development “would exceed landscape capacity”.

Speaking at the meeting on behalf of local residents, Helen Williams questioned the need for the applicant to have a site in Saundersfoot when he lived in Pontypool, adding that residents did not recall any caravans on-site since 1993.

Agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries said he had hoped the application, with a recently revised landscape plans offering additional landscape mitigation, could have been deferred.

He said any refusal would give his client the option of either appealing or “having a free go” for any amended future application.

Mr Vaughan-Harries said that while Pembrokeshire was better than many authorities in the provision of traveller sites there was a need to deliver more.

“It’s premature to make an application today but I still think this site has some merit. The applicant wants to go back to his traveller roots.”

Saundersfoot councillor Chis Williams moved members support the officer recommendation of refusal, adding he supported Mr Vaughan-Harries call for more provision for traveller sites but stressed: “however, I do not think this is the correct location.”

Members backed the recommendation of refusal by 13 votes to two abstentions.

Responding to the refusal after the meeting, Mr Vaughan-Harries said: “To deliver Traveller sites is always a planning challenge but as discussed the essential need more sites is clearly there for the whole of Wales and Pembs. The opportunity of private sites also eases the burden on LPA’s to fund traveller sites

“We respect that site is in PCNP, but there is a policy to still allow Traveller sites in their area subtext to criteria being met.

“The full impact on the ecology and visual impact was not completed by ourselves and applicant due to availability of suitable local  surveyors and conflicts of interest. So it’s likely we will resubmit to improve on the scheme and see if all ecology impacts can be mitigated even if it has to be off-site. This site has remnants of previous use and not a virgin greenfield site.

“I still feel the site can deliver a single traveller poach with up the date assessment and redesigning.”