Irish rap group Kneecap performs on stage with stolen severed head of King George V statue
The statue was decapitated in the Australian city of Melbourne last year.
The severed head of a British King’s statue has appeared on stage with Kneecap nearly a year after it was stolen.
The Belfast rap group – who are known for songs that promote Irish republican themes including Get Your Brits Out – are currently on tour in Australia.
Last week more than 10,000 people descended on Melbourne’s Federation Square after a free concert by the trio – which consists of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí – was announced.
Then, over the weekend the group also attracted plenty of attention after being presented with the stolen bronze head of the former British monarch.
Posting details of what unfolded on social media, Kneecap shared images holding the head along with an explanation.
‘Well well a chairde Gael [my Irish friends]! Some madman dropped by with a huge King George’s head so he could hear a few tunes for our last Melbourne show!’ it read.
They posted photos on social media following the gig in Melbourne, Australia (Picture: Facebook/Kneecap)‘Allegedly his head was cut off last year in the city..…anyways he was put on stage for a few tunes and then whisked away…remember every colony can fall ????’
The 2.7 metre statue, located in the King’s Domain parklands since being unveiled in 1952, was beheaded during the King’s Birthday Weekend in June last year.
It’s since appeared in social media posts being flushed down a toilet and being barbecued.
In a statement, Victoria Police said the investigation into the damage caused to the statue is ongoing.
‘Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives continue to investigate damage to a statue in Kings Domain last year,’ a Victoria Police spokesperson said, as reported by the ABC.
The group said: ‘Remember every colony can fall’ (Picture: Liam McBurney/ PA Wire)‘Investigators are also aware that the head from what appears to be a statue appeared at a concert in Melbourne on March 14. Detectives will investigate whether there is any link between the two incidents.’
They added that no-one had been arrested over the act of vandalism last year.
Since releasing their debut single C.E.A.R.T.A.” (Irish for ‘Rights’) in 2017, Kneecap have become known for releasing music promoting Irish republicanism, pushing for reunification of Ireland and opposing British rule in Northern Ireland.
They refer to themselves as ‘Republican Hoods’ while their fans are known as ‘Fenians’.
During their shows in Australia over the past week, the band have also flown Palestinian and Aboriginal flags whilst also displaying a mural from an Indigenous artist ‘defying the occupation’.
They were handed the head by a concert-goer (Picture: Liam McBurney/ PA Wire)Speaking to The Guardian in 2024, Kneecap spoke about how ‘rave, rebel songs and great tunes’ was what drove them.
‘Kneecap was born of the need to represent that identity,’ Moglai said.
‘[We were part of] this weird first group of young people in an urban setting in Belfast to really speak Irish together socially… sharing the words and the youth culture, and taking recreational drugs, and all that melded together.’
The trio also starred in the movie Kneecap last year, which charted their rise. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and later received six nominations at the Baftas and was selected as the Irish entry for the Academy Award for best international feature film.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
