Fontaines D.C. on the “witch hunt” against Kneecap and police’s handling of Palestine protests: “It’s a really crazy thing that you can’t say, ‘I don’t support genocide’”

Fontaines D.C.’s Deego has spoken out against the “witch hunt” being faced by Kneecap and the British police’s handling of protests against the genocide in Palestine. Watch our video interview above.

• READ MORE: Kneecap live in London: a Keir Starmer-baiting Wembley invasion

The band’s bassist spoke to NME at the 2025 Mercury Prize, which was held at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena last night (October 16). The Irish group were nominated at the event for their 2024 album, ‘Romance’, and were shortlisted alongside the likes of CMAT, Pa Salieu, Wolf Alice, and winner Sam Fender.

Kneecap rapper Mo Chara – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a gig in London last November. The case was thrown out last month on a technicality relating to the way in which it was brought about. After the judgment was passed, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed it would appeal the decision to dismiss the case.

“I stand in solidarity with the boys, d’you know what I mean?” Deego said when asked about the situation that Kneecap and Mo Chara had faced this summer. “I think it’s amazing what they stand up for. I think it’s a very, very difficult situation for anyone to be put on the line in that way, but to not waver as well, to really stick to those beliefs. I think that it is a witch hunt. They’re trying to make an example of them, clearly.”

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The musician went on to talk about the British police’s handling of protests against the genocide in Palestine, which have seen citizens arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation. The group Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British government in July 2025, making it illegal to show support for it. Since that move from the government, videos on social media have shown elderly and disabled protestors being arrested for holding signs declaring their opposition to genocide and support for Palestine Action.

“There are videos I’ve seen recently of people going down to the Palestine Action marches and just saying satirically, ‘I support genocide’, and the police do nothing,” Deego said. “It’s a really crazy thing that you can’t say, ‘I don’t support genocide’.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Deego reflected on the last two years of promoting and touring ‘Romance’. “It’s been an amazing experience, honestly,” he told NME. “I think we made an album that we really wanted to push things out there with and for our fanbase to not turn on us. That was great to still be able to go to those places, and not just for them to not turn on us, but to be patient with the new work and to actually really get it, that was amazing.”

The bassist added that the band have already started working on “little bits of ideas individually” and had some time scheduled “soon enough” to regroup and “share what we’ve been working on”. When asked what had been influencing him recently, he said: “Recently, I’ve been really getting into UK hardcore.”

Sam Fender was crowned the winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize last night for his third album, ‘People Watching’. He thanked “very good friends” Fontaines D.C. and CMAT during his acceptance speech, saying that he was in “great company” on the shortlist.

In the winner’s room afterwards, Fender added: “We didn’t think we were going to win anything so I’m still in shock. It’s an absolute honour and it’s amazing it’s happened up here, for the first time outside of London. I think it’s a really important thing that’s happened right now in the music industry – I think it’s great.”

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