The municipality of Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris, has withdrawn its €40,000 subsidy for the Rock-en-Seine music festival following the announcement that Irish rap group Kneecap is part of

the lineup.

Kneecap, a Belfast-based trio known for performing in both Irish and English, has previously attracted controversy for displaying pro-Palestinian messages during live shows. The group is scheduled to perform on the final day of the festival, which runs from August 21 to 24.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, Saint-Cloud’s city hall said the funding decision was made on July 3, after the full lineup was revealed. The subsidy had initially been approved before Kneecap’s participation was known.

While the town emphasized it respects the artistic freedom of the festival organizers and did not attempt to influence their programming decisions, it also stated that it does not support "political action, demands, or incitements to violence," including any "calls to kill lawmakers, regardless of their nationality."

Rock-en-Seine organizers have not yet responded to requests for comment.

One of Kneecap's members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (also known as Mo Chara), is currently facing a terrorism-related charge in the UK after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag—Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization in Britain. Ó hAnnaidh denies the charge, and the group maintains it does not support Hamas or Hezbollah. Photo by Bertrand from Paris, France, Wikimedia commons.