Northern Ireland

Kneecap endorse Black Mountain Gaza message slating US president over Gaza stance

Images of large writing on Black Mountain have circulated on social media with the message 'Say no to genocide Joe,' a critical reference to the US President Joe Biden on his efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Middle East.
Images of large writing on Black Mountain have circulated on social media with the message 'Say no to genocide Joe,' a critical reference to the US President Joe Biden on his efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Middle East.
By Allan Preston

A large message on west Belfast’s Black Mountain accusing the United States of enabling genocide in Gaza has circulated online.

The pictures of large writing which says “Say no to genocide Joe,” a critical reference to President Joe Biden’s efforts so far to achieve a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, appeared on St Patrick’s Day as Stormont leaders and the Taoiseach are in Washington.

Among those endorsing the messages were the Irish language rappers Kneecap.

Recently, the group announced their withdrawal from the major US music festival South by South West (SXSW) in Austin as the event was sponsored by the American military.

The Belfast trio consisting of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí had been due to perform three gigs after making their American TV debut on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

A member of Belfast hip hop trio Kneecap said it is a ‘no brainer’ for them to boycott the SXSW festival in the US over Gaza
(Niall Carson/PA)

With more than 31,000 people estimated to have been killed in Gaza since an attack by Hamas fighters killed over 1,200 Israelis in Israel in October, the group said they were pulling out “in solidarity with the people of Palestine”.

During a previous appearance on RTÉ's Late Late Show, the trio also wore pro-Palestine badges and emblems while being interviewed by host Patrick Kielty despite telling RTÉ they would not do so.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) at a bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) at a bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC. (Niall Carson/PA)

This week, protests organised by Amnesty International took place in Belfast and Dublin calling for Irish leaders to make the case to Joe Biden for a permanent ceasefire in the Middle East.

On Friday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar urged the US Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Ireland to end a humanitarian crisis that “will haunt us all for years to come”.